The Lies Our Parents Told Us
by sabrina6
Summary: Harry Potter’s life is about to change forever when he finds out the truth about his mother and makes a decision that can and will effect the entire wizarding world. Slash and Mpreg TR/OC HP/DM and various other pairings.
1. Default Chapter

Disclaimer: Harry Potter does not belong to me. It belongs to the wonderful people at Warner Brothers and Bloomsburg and Scholastic and of course J K Rowling. 

Summary: Harry Potter's life is about to change forever hen he finds out the truth about his mother and makes a decision that can and will effect the entire wizarding world. TR/OC HP/DM and various other pairings.

Warning: This is Slash, which means two guys in a relationship in case you didn't know. This story will have other lot lines but if this bothers you than leave now. This will also be MPreg, which means that a male character will become pregnant. While I don't plan on going into intense detail this is an element of the story and if this bothers you than you should also stay away.

Authors note: This is my second attempt at fan fiction and my first attempt at slash. Criticism is welcome but if you plan on giving me a review about how wrong male/male relationships are and that is the only problem that you have with the story then please don't write the review. I have given you fair warning about the nature of this fic. SLASH and MPREG.        

Chapter one: The heart of a Slytherin

The front door opened and she heard two voices drift upstairs. She couldn't believe here ears… he couldn't be back. It had been fourteen years since she had heard that voice but it was still the same. It had a hissing quality, a unique tenor. His voice was part of what had made her fall in love with him.  She ran down the stairs and caught site of that Pettigrew bastard… the one who had sent her husband to his death. She raised her wand and… someone else caught her wrist.

"Now… now Jennifer, what did I tell you about striking my servants?" His silky voice reached her ears and she turned slowly… not shocked by what she saw. Tom Riddle, Voldemort, or whatever he was calling himself these days looked more like a snake than a human, but she didn't care. She jumped into his arms, with an uncharacteristic enthusiasm.

"You used the potion… I'm so glad to see you Tom, you have no idea what these past few years have been like." Jennifer said clutching onto him tightly.

He didn't let go of her, instead he turned to Pettigrew. "You still know where your room is?" He asked harshly.

Pettigrew nodded quickly but he remained still.

"…Go there!" Voldemort yelled.

Jennifer was used to this tone of voice as well. She wouldn't have minded if he had used it on her; she missed him so much anything would please her. Once she was sure that Pettigrew had left she turned in his embrace and kissed him softly… then she slapped him across the face. "This is entirely your fault you know… I told you not to go after Lily. I said that I could give you another heir, but you wouldn't have that. Then you bound me to this house and I couldn't even go after you!"

"Are you quite finished?" Tom asked quietly.

Jennifer nodded, ashamed that she had blown up at him.

"Good… it does not matter what happened in the past, do you understand Jenny? I am going to gain back the rest of my power and we are going to begin again where we left off. Potter's son got away tonight; our first order of business is to finish him." 

Jennifer shook her head sadly and then said hesitantly, "He is half of Lily… why don't you persuade him to –."

Tom cut her off, "We have had this conversation before… he has been under Dumbledore's care for too long, and it has tarnished his judgment."

"He is too powerful to have as an enemy Tom. He is half Gryffindor half Slytherin. He is too powerful for us to just put him to sleep!" She protested venomously.

"What do you propose we do?" He asked curiously.

"Lucius Malfoy's son is Potter's age is he not? Have the young Malfoy befriend Potter… show him our ways."

"Lucius told me that his son failed in gaining Potter's friendship."

Jennifer got a malicious glint in her eye that usually meant she had a wonderful plan. "Let's have Narcissa and young Draco over for dinner tonight."

"Lucius is not invited?" Tom asked.

"I know his method Tom… the man doesn't have a tactful bone in his body." She sneered.

Tom laughed, not coldly, and said, "After all of these years you still inhabit an intense hatred for the man, I see."

"The man's carelessness lost me my daughter. All he had to do was take her to Knockturn Alley and he lost her. Then of course Dumbledore recognized Lily and he put her with that Muggle family and he put her in Gryffindor, just like he did Harry Potter. Don't you see Tom? He is feeding Harry the same lies that he fed Lily. If we can get young Malfoy to show him the right way…."

"We tried that with Lily; don't you remember… we sent Severus to tell her the truth do you remember how that turned out?"

"It turned out badly," Jennifer admitted, "But we were year too late and Snape was working for the other side."

"How did you know about that?" Tom asked sharply.

She sighed, "You may have bound me to this house but our contacts at the ministry have still visited me from time to time. I wasn't alone with the house elves for the past fourteen years." She said wryly. "Now let's have the house elves send invitations to Malfoy Manor. Oh and Tom, unbind me."

Voldemort smiled, which was nothing more than the skin stretching across his bone structure. He raised his wand and pointed it at her, "Finite Incantatum."  

Narcissa opened the curious looking envelope and smiled. Jennifer always was too formal… she was as pureblooded as they came. Once Draco sat down at the table for dinner she announced that they were invited to dinner the next evening. 

"May I see the invitation Mum?" Draco asked.

She passed the envelope to a house elf that hurriedly placed it in Draco's hand. 

"The presence of Mrs. Narcissa Malfoy and her son are requested at Riddle Manor on the evening of July first. Mrs. Jennifer Riddle requests that Lucius Malfoy carry on with his orders, his presence is not needed at this gathering…." Draco folded the letter in half and set it down on the table then he turned to his Father who was looking absolutely murderous. "It sounds as though Mrs. Riddle doesn't get along with you Father. Who is she?"

Narcissa shared a look with her husband before she turned to look at Draco. After several moments she came to a decision. "Jennifer Riddle is Tom Riddle's wife… however he doesn't go by that name anymore. Draco, sweetie, I think that you are old enough to go to this dinner. It is time that you learned our ways, of course you are too young to be initiated." 

Draco's face fell, "Then why does Mrs. Riddle want me to come?"

"We'll find out when we get there. Go wash and I'll have the house elves pack our clothing." 

"The invitation was for dinner, why do we need a change of clothing?"

"Listen to your Mother Draco." Lucius said quietly.

Draco nodded and excused himself to his room.

Once he was out of site Narcissa turned to her husband and winced at the fury on his face. "Lucius… you know we don't have a choice."

"I don't want you in the presence of the woman." He said firmly.

"Lucius you know that she is perfectly justified in her hatred of you. Her daughter was delivered to the enemy."

"That wasn't done on purpose… you know how much I adored Lily." He said regrettably.

Narcissa laughed. "You were only seventeen Luc, and she was four years old."

"I meant like a daughter." He snapped. "I only turned my back for a moment… and I looked everywhere for her. I have done plenty to make up for it. I even tried to release young Riddle from that diary so that he would be able to take the spell of Jennifer. I can't bring Lily back from the dead, you know?"

Narcissa rose from the table and kissed her husband softly. "I know. I'll put in a good word for you and I'll see you in a few days from now, alright?"

Lucius expression softened, "What _do you think she wants with Draco?"_

"What she has wanted for the past 33 years; her daughter back." She said softly.

"How does she plan on doing that?" Lucius sneered.

"The only way that I can think of is to have her grandson." 

"She wants Potter, alive?" He said incredulously. "Our Lord will never allow that."

"Luc you and I both know that Jennifer gets what she wants and if she wants to have Harry Potter on our side… then she'll have it."

"She didn't get Lily back." He reminded her gently.

Narcissa's expression darkened slightly, "She won't make the same mistake twice."

Narcissa and Draco Malfoy were ready to leave the moment that Jennifer's car arrived. It was a dark green carriage pulled by winged horses, and like everything else in the wizarding world, its outside appearance was deceiving. The inside was as large as the Malfoy sitting room, which was half the size of the great hall at Hogwarts. The ride to Riddle Manor was silent, as Draco thought it would be. The moment that they took off he pulled out the book that he had been trying to get through, A Dark Guide to the Darkest of the Arts. By the time that they reached the Manor he was on the last chapter. 

Narcissa cleared her throat. "I don't have to remind you to be polite do I Draco?"

"Of course not Mother. You know that I –." Narcissa never heard the rest of what Draco was going to say because at that moment he caught site of the most beautiful thing he had ever seen – Riddle Manor. 

Narcissa followed his line of sight and smile, "It is magnificent isn't it?" 

"…Amazing," Draco breathed and the Manor was amazing. Though it really was one's perception; the Manor was made of dark bricks and had what looked like a type of ivy climbing the walls of the seven level structure. The roof was gleaming silver and the yard resembled the forbidden forest at Hogwarts. It was an old brooding structure that was comfortable to those it wanted there and intimidating to those it didn't.

The carriage landed on a dirt path that led to the front doors. The winged horse pulled them along the path and stopped suddenly when they reached the doors. A house elf came scampering out of the house and opened the carriage door. Narcissa climbed out first, carefully making sure that her dress robes weren't caught on anything. Draco followed her silently still in awe of the house that he was to stay in. 

As they approached the doors a young woman opened them and Draco found himself redefining the definition of beauty. Long, dark red hair fell down to the middle of her back. Her eyes were the strangest shade of green, and he found himself comparing them to Potters, which were quite similar. She looked no older than thirty but she had an aura of old age around her. He was mesmerized as she reached for him and pulled him into a hug like an aunt would. 

She ushered them inside and turned to Narcissa, "Narci' would you mind waiting in the sitting room while I have a word with young Draco?"

Narcissa smiled and walked into a room on the left. Jennifer hooked her hand into Draco's and steered him off to the right. Before he knew it they wee sitting on a black leather couch in front of a blazing fire. Jennifer took a deep breath and turned to Draco.

"You are aware of my relations?" She asked.

"You are our Lords wife." Draco answered.

She smiled, "Yes I am… the story that I am about to tell you is in complete confidence; not many know it. On August 17th 1960 I gave birth to the heir to Tom's throne. She was the most beautiful girl anyone had ever seen. Your father lost her in Knockturn Alley," She sneered. "Dumbledore found her, and he placed her with a muggle family that he trusted. She attended Hogwarts on her eleventh birthday and we found her on her fourteenth. Severus Snape transferred from Durmstrang to get closer to her. Eventually he betrayed us… and she fell in love with the heir of Gryffindor. We tried to reach her but she wouldn't listen to our pleas to come home. Eventually she started working for the resistance. Then she bore a child of her own, and we had thought, had hoped… that she would come home to us then, but she refused. They went into hiding several months later, and Tom found them with the help of one of his Death eaters. He killed the heir and pleaded with her one last time before he turned his wand onto her. Then he tried to kill her child but the curse rebounded onto him. He disappeared for thirteen years."

Draco looked at her curiously and said after figuring out the identity of the heir, "I'm sorry but how could you be Lily Potter's mother? You look so young."

"Dark magic has its advantages. In fact once Tom regains his power, he too will regain his youth."

"Did you want my help?" Draco asked eagerly. "Mother said that I was too young to receive the mark."

Jennifer smiled kindly, "There is something that you could do for me…."

Draco's eyes lit up with anticipation, "Anything…."

"Tell me everything you know about Harry Potter." She commanded.

Draco's eyes almost immediately lost their spark, "I am not his friend, I don't know much. He plays quidditch. He is a seeker for the Gryffindor team… he faints when Dementors come near."

Jennifer nodded, "That is all well and good but I meant personal things. What do you know about Harry that is personal?"

Draco sneered, "He is an arrogant idiot, who spends his free time trying to get himself killed. He knows next to nothing about his heritage and he lives with muggles who hate him."

Jennifer hid a smile behind her hand and took a closer look at the young Malfoy. He reminded her so much of herself when she was younger and in love with Tom, it was uncanny. She turned to him and said seriously. "How long have you loved him for?"

Draco didn't even feign surprise or anger. He said tonelessly, "Potter is the enemy; the only thing that I feel for him is animosity."

Jennifer raised an eyebrow, "Draco, you don't have to pretend with me and you had better never lie to me again. Besides you're wrong Harry isn't the enemy, he is my grandson and he is misinformed. I need your help getting him back."

"Harry Potter hates me Mrs. Riddle; I don't understand how I can help."

"You said he lives with muggles?" She said distastefully. "Do you happen to know their surname?"

Draco brightened, "I heard Potter say that he lived with the Dursley's. Vernon Dursley is his uncle."

Jennifer gave Draco a cold look, "Harry Potter has no muggle relatives." Then she softened, "Thank you for your help Draco. If I might ask one more favor of you?"

Draco inclined his head politely.

"Will you come with me to pick up my grandson?" Jennifer said coyly.

"I'd love to Mrs. Riddle, really I would, but I don't think Potter would come with us if I were there."

She smiled brightly and helped Draco to his feet. "Nonsense and Draco please call me Jennifer. I think that we'll be spending a lot of time together in the future. You're nothing like Lucius and I think that you would make a wonderful son in law, if I can convince Harry that is."

Draco choked on air. "I'm sorry did you say…."

"Son in law, of course, Harry needs to produce an heir and there really is no one better for him."

"Jennifer you have a better chance of convincing Potter to turn on everything he knows than you have of getting him to enter a relationship with me."

"You'll find that I can be very persuasive Draco." Jennifer said slyly. She walked out of the room; Draco followed behind her quietly, and entered the room that his mother was waiting in. He caught site of his mother speaking with a… well a snake like man was the only way to describe him. He remembered his father's description of their Lords new body and he bent down, preparing to kiss the hem of his robes before Voldemort spoke.

"There is no need for that my son, you are not yet in my service."

Draco straightened out and stood awkwardly.

Jennifer broke the silence, "Do you know where the phone book is Tom? I know that you had it last night."

He pointed to a desk off to the right and she summoned the book. 

"Aha!" She said after a few moments. "The Dursley residence, number four Privet drive, Surrey…."

Draco was looking over her shoulder in confusion. 

She smiled at him, "I had this ordered a few years back, in case I needed to find something."

Draco nodded in understanding though he wasn't quite sure if by 'something' she meant mudbloods.

"Well, let's go," She said brightly heading for the door.

Draco blinked, and then deciding that it would be wrong to question her, he said his farewells and followed her.

Harry Potter, the boy-who-lived, Dumbledore's golden child, was ashamed. He knew that if Rita Skeeter, Reporter, could see him now that he would never be able to show his face in the wizarding world again. 

Dressed in rags, Harry Potter the savior of the wizarding world was washing his uncle's new convertible with a brillo pad. The cruelty of the situation was enough to make him want to just pick up and leave like he had done in previous years. He didn't understand Dumbledore's reasoning anymore. ….especially not when he was redefining horridness each summer. I should just leave, he thought angrily as he scrubbed at the windshield roughly. I could stay at the Leaky Caldron and have Ice cream at….

His daydream was interrupted when he saw two figures dressed in robes coming his way. He felt for his wand in his pocket and he got a good grip on it before straightening up. Normally he wouldn't carry his wand on him during the summer at the Dursley's but after the resurrection of Voldemort a few days earlier he wasn't taking any chances. It was with some trepidation that he walked down to the edge of the drive way to find himself face to face with Draco Malfoy (whose father was a known supporter of Voldemort) and a very familiar looking woman. 

Deciding not to take any chances with his rival Malfoy he pulled his hand out of his pocket slightly showing off his wand handle. "Is there a reason why you're here?" Harry sneered.

Jennifer was looking at Harry with something akin to awe shining in her eyes. "He looks so much like Tom it's uncanny."

Harry gave her a double take and then upon realizing what she had said he began to back away slowly. "I am nothing like _him."_

Jennifer nearly winced at her mistake. "Harry I just want to talk…."

"Why do I find that difficult to believe? It could have something to do with the fact that you seem to be on a first name basis with the man who keeps trying to kill me." 

"Listen to her Potter; she just wants to help you. You can come with us…."

Harry looked at him in astonishment before he started to laugh hoarsely, "This has got to be the _lamest_ trick you guys have ever pulled."

"Potter look at her, who does she remind you of. She has dark red hair and green eyes; this is your mothers mum." Draco said quietly.

Harry narrowed his eyes. It was trued that she resembled his mother but, "That could be done with a glamour."

"It isn't a glamour it's your grandmother. If you come with us I promise that you won't be hurt." Draco said earnestly. 

"We all know what one of your promises is worth Malfoy," Harry hissed. "I have chores to finish so I think that you'd better be going." He made a move to turn back toward the car but Jennifer grabbed his hand and pulled him against her. Harry was astonished to find that tears were sliding down her face and from the look on Malfoy's face so was he. 

"Come home, Harry please. You'll be treated like a human being there. I'll teach you magic and you'll be safe. He won't harm you anymore… I don't want to lose you like I lost her." 

Harry pulled away from her slightly and asked curiously and suspiciously, "Who did you lose?"

"I can't tell you here. Get your things, if you don't want to be there, I'll send you back here."

"How do I know that you're not lying? And why exactly would I go anywhere with either of you?" Harry asked stubbornly. 

Jennifer searched his face, "You'll come because you're not happy here. As for my lying to you, we'll make a wizards promise." She said offering her hand.

Harry stared at it for a long time before turning to look at the dark and foreboding house. He quickly weighed his options, he could go with her and just see what it was like, he had the most horrible feeling that she was indeed his grandmother, and he always wanted a real family. Though he had found something similar at Hogwarts nothing was the same as having blood relatives that actually liked you. He looked into the woman's eyes, really looked. What he found there was such an intense love that it almost knocked him off his feet. Quickly he made a decision. It would be easy to stay at the Dursley's and wait until September 1st but he felt that it was right for him to take this woman's hand, so he took it. As he clasped her hand he felt a strange sensation run through him, a magic promise that was as intense as the love that had shown through her eyes. 

She smiled at him, "Get your things quietly, we'll be waiting here."

Harry nodded and walked slowly through the entrance to number four privet drive and upstairs to his bedroom to collect his belonging that he had not unpacked yet, he grabbed the trunk first and brought it down the stairs and next to the front door. Then he went back up and carried his pet owl, Hedwig, and her cage down the stairs and he opened the door and beckoned Malfoy to help him. 

As the two of them carried his belongings over to his 'grandmother' Harry knew that his life was about to change drastically, and although his mind was telling him that it was a bad change, his heart was telling him that it was a good one. 

He watched as Jennifer shrunk the packages for him and placed them in her pockets, and he took one last look at number four privet drive before touching the port key and leaving his life behind forever.


	2. Could you repeat that?

Disclaimer: Harry Potter does not belong to me. It belongs to the wonderful people at Warner Brothers and Bloomsburg and Scholastic and of course J K Rowling. 

Summary: Harry Potter's life is about to change forever when he finds out the truth about his mother and makes a decision that can and will effect the entire wizarding world. TR/OC HP/DM and various other pairings.

Warning: This is Slash, which means two guys in a relationship in case you didn't know. This story will have other lot lines but if this bothers you than leave now. This will also be MPreg, which means that a male character will become pregnant. While I don't plan on going into intense detail this is an element of the story and if this bothers you than you should also stay away.

Authors note: This is my second attempt at fan fiction and my first attempt at slash. Criticism is welcome but if you plan on giving me a review about how wrong male/male relationships are and that is the only problem that you have with the story then please don't write the review. I have given you fair warning about the nature of this fic. SLASH and MPREG.        

Chapter two: Could you repeat that?

They landed gracefully, despite their use of a port key, into the sitting area of Riddle Manor. Harry Straightened out his shirt and looked up. He gasped at what he saw – Voldemort exactly as he was the last time Harry had seen him.

They both had their wands out and pointed at each other within seconds.

"Accio wands," Jennifer said impatiently, and Voldemort and Harry's wands flew into her out stretched hand. 

Harry turned to glare at her. "You brought me here… how could you? Give me back my wand and sent me home!"

Jennifer leveled Harry with a cool gaze, "You are home."

Harry looked around the room desperately and he spotted a familiar blond woman sitting in an armchair regarding all of them curiously. He remembered her from the world cup. She was Malfoy's mother. Harry turned to glare at his 'grandmother' and then said coldly, "Give Mrs. Malfoy the wands I don't trust you."

Voldemort took a step toward Harry, angry that he would dare speak that way to Jennifer.

Jennifer held a hand up, stopping Voldemort in his tracks. She calmly walked over to a stunned Narcissa and handed her Harry, Voldemort, and her own wands.  Then she walked back to where she was previously standing. "Is that better Harry?"

Harry, in a moment of pure fear, tried to run around Jennifer to reach the door, but she grabbed him and with a surprising amount of strength, she stopped his progress. Harry turned around in her arms to speak with Draco, whose face was carefully blank. "Malfoy, you _have to get me out of here!"_

"I told you to listen to them, Potter. No one here is going to hurt you."

Harry gave him an incredulous look. "The last time I checked that _man_ over there had killing me as number one on his to do list! I know that you aren't friends with me Malfoy, so maybe you don't realize that he tried to kill me in my first year and my second year _and last year as well._ I'm sorry if I find it a little hard to believe that he's suddenly changed his tune when a few days ago he was telling me to bow to death!"

Jennifer turned to look at Tom, amusement evident in her eyes, "Bow to death, Tom?" She shook her head and turned to Harry who looked like he was bordering on hysterical. "Harry you just have to listen to us. You've been fed lies your entire life. Lily was my daughter, mine and Tom's, she was _not_ a muggle born. Dumbledore took her away from us –."

"You were probably mistreating her." Harry said insolently.

Jennifer reached forward and slapped Harry across the face. Harry, stunned, stumbled backwards with a hand on his cheek.

"We never hurt Lily. She had anything she could ever have wanted; she had anyone she could have wanted. She had two parents who loved her and would have died for her." Jennifer said coolly.

Harry snorted, getting over his moment of shock. "Then why did her father kill her?"

Voldemort stood and stalked over to where Harry was standing. He wrapped his hands tightly around Harry's forearms and said clearly, "I didn't kill my daughter; she stepped in front of the curse that was meant for you." He let go of Harry's arms and Harry collapsed onto the floor.

Harry looked up with deadened eyes and he said tonelessly, "I want to go back to the Dursley's."

Narcissa looked around the room at Jennifer and Voldemort. The latter was staring at Harry as though he were no more than a house elf and the former looked like she was on the verge of tears. "Oh for goodness sake…." She said as she walked over to Harry and knelt down on the floor beside him. She took him into her arms and held him gently. 

Harry was surprised at the warmness that she showed toward him. The image of her at the Quidditch world cup and her actions now didn't fit together in his mind. And her hug was nothing like Mrs. Weasley's – who hugged Harry like he was one of her own. It was like Narcissa was comforting him, _Harry, and Harry found that he almost liked it as much as Mrs. Weasleys._

"You didn't kill Lily, Harry it was an accident. It isn't your fault she died, but you don't want her death to be in vain right Harry? You can help us like Lily would have." Narcissa said calmly.

Harry pulled away and looked at her in disbelief, "Help you kill all of my friends?"

"…Friends that will lie to you?" She said evenly. "…Friends that will put you in danger every year. Harry… if you stay with us you will be safe."

"My friends don't lie to me!" Harry protested.

"Dumbledore has been lying to you for years Harry." Jennifer said quietly. "He never told you that you were Tom's grandson did he?"

"He probably thought it would upset me." Harry said sarcastically. "So what if he has been lying, at least he doesn't kill people."

Voldemort laughed harshly, "Albus Dumbledore doesn't kill. You really are deluded, you foolish boy. That wizard has killed more of Grindelwald's men than I have killed muggles."

"He did it in self defense." Harry said hotly.

"Did he? The light side has a strange definition for self defense. Dumbledore hunted those men, like he has been doing to mine… and all I want is to create a better world."

"If we didn't have muggles the wizarding world would have been extinct a long time ago." Harry protested.

"You know an awful lot about our world for someone who was forced to live with horrid muggles for 10 years of his life. Don't you find it strange that you know everything there is to know about the light side's argument but no one has ever told you anything about our side?" Voldemort said condescendingly.

'I didn't even know about the Death eaters until two years ago.' The thought entered his mind involuntarily. Aloud he said, "I never asked about your side… I don't want to know. It's wrong to kill people because of their heritage."

"Tell that to the muggles who burned us at the stake." Voldemort sneered.

"That was hundreds of years ago, muggles are more tolerant nowadays." Harry said taken aback. "…Besides there were freezing charms that wizards used –."

"At first, yes we were able to perform the necessary charms. Then the muggles figured out that we needed our wands to perform magic… they started snapping wands and burning us with no protection. Something we had no control over, our _heritage._"

"Has anyone ever tied you to a block of wood and set you on fire?" Harry asked sarcastically.

"…."

"Then why do you care!"

"Salazar Slytherin had a dream and I, as his descendant, have an obligation to fulfill it. I have to gain control before the muggles find out about us again." Voldemort said after regaining his composure.

"Did it ever occur to you that starting a horrible war might gain the attention of muggles?" Harry asked, and noting the surprised look on his face he continued. "And if you plan on taking control you're going to need a lot more men than you had at the grave yard."

Voldemort assessed him for a moment before turning to Jennifer who was smiling. "You were correct Jenny. The boy is good, and he knows what he is talking about. I will definitely have him on my side."

Harry – who had realized that he had just inadvertently gave Voldemort advice on how to gain control – slapped a hand over his mouth and paled. "I won't…."

Voldemort turned to look at him with a frown set in his features. "…Why not?"

"I won't help kill my friends." Harry said while he took a minute to think about it. There really wasn't anything keeping him at Hogwarts… except for Ron and Hermione… and Sirius. If he stayed here Sirius would never talk to him again… the only family he had would disown him. He couldn't let that happen. 

"I wouldn't ask that of you, of course." 

"…But _you_ would kill them… would kill Sirius?" Harry whispered the last part but it reached Jennifer's ears.

She looked at him curiously. "Sirius… Sirius Black, why would we kill him?"

Voldemort cleared his throat, "Jenny there are some things that he doesn't need to know."

Jennifer smiled down at Harry, "He wouldn't say anything that could get Sirius in trouble… even if he is on our side."

Harry's eyes widened in horror and incredulity, "You're lying… Sirius saved my life he would never…."

"He is on our side Harry… one of our most loyal supporters; he would have been the best if he didn't disagree with killing James Potter." Jennifer said.

Harry shook his head, "No… he tried to kill Wormtail…. He escaped from Azkaban to save me."

"Did you really think that you just had to be an amanigi to escape? It took dark magic to get that done… all of my loyal supporters have the means to do it." Voldemort said.

'How does he know that Sirius is an amanigi?' Harry thought wildly before he calmed down. 'Wormtail must have told him….' Harry looked at Voldemort defiantly, "Then why did he wait so long to escape?"

"There wasn't any point in escaping until he found Wormtail. Remus thought he had betrayed us so he couldn't go to him, or any of our other followers for that matter. He had to wait until he knew where Wormtail was before he escaped." 

"Remus isn't on your side… STOP LYING!" Harry yelled. "He said he thought Sirius was the spy."

"…Dumbledore's spy." Jennifer supplied. "Someone betrayed us that night. Tom went to the Potter's house and he didn't come back."

"If he's really your spy, then summon Sirius here." Harry said.

"He doesn't have to Harry I'm already here." A voice said from the doorway.

Harry turned around and sighed in relief when he saw Sirius standing there. He brought himself off of the floor and ran over to Sirius. "You have no idea how good it is to see you. We have to get out of here." Harry turned to walk out of the room but Sirius stopped him. "What is it Sirius?" Harry asked nervously.

Sirius walked over to Voldemort and knelt down in front of him, kissing his robes.

Harry sunk to the floor at the sight of his godfather kissing the robes of the Dark lord. When Sirius walked over to him and placed a hand on Harry's shoulder he shrugged it off. Harry turned dead, cold eyes on Sirius, "_Don't touch me._ I trusted you… and all of this time you were trying to kill me."

Sirius looked like someone had slapped him across the face. "I would never have hurt you Harry - never. Remus wouldn't have either."

Harry ignored him and he turned to look at Jennifer. "Will you take me to my room?"

Jennifer nodded and started to walk out of the room. Harry got up and followed her to the door. 

"Harry please you don't understand, let me explain…." Sirius said running a hand through his hair.

Harry turned to look at him, as if seeing him for the first time. "Your time for explanations is over Black." He said quietly and then he walked through the door and he followed Jennifer to his room.

Sirius stood, staring after Harry for the longest time before he felt a hand on his shoulder. He looked up and saw Narcissa staring at him sadly.

"He'll come around eventually you know. Come on Sirius let's get you up to your room." She nodded politely to Voldemort and she steered Sirius out of the room leaving Draco behind.

"We missed you, Sirius." Narcissa said trying to engage him in conversation. 

"No you thought that I betrayed everyone." Sirius said hollowly.

"No we didn't."

"Yes, you did. You thought that because I made Peter the secret keeper that I helped bring about our Lords demise."

"No Sirius you have it all wrong, Lucius misses you and I miss you." She said quietly.

"Let's not get into that Narci'." Sirius said hurtfully.

Jennifer guided Harry along the hallways with a hand on the small of his back. "Sirius means well Harry. He really didn't want to see your parents die… either of them. Your godfather loves –."

"I don't have a godfather." Harry said tightly. 

Jennifer dropped the subject. "Tom isn't going to hurt you. He really does want you on our side."

"…Because I'm powerful right? It doesn't have anything to do with my being his grandson. Thanks for bringing me here really." Harry said sarcastically. "I mean, I woke up this morning and I had friends and a family and now I have nothing."

"I'm sure it feels that way now but eventually you'll see that we're your family." Jennifer said quietly.

"I feel like I've been initiated into some sort of cult." Harry muttered.

Jennifer ignored him, "Tomorrow we'll have to take a trip to Diagon Alley… you need new clothing." She said eyeing his clothes warily. "Then we can take a trip into Knockturn Alley and get the supplies for your tutoring."

Harry shivered involuntarily. "I hate that place."

Jennifer raised an eyebrow but kept silent. She opened a door on the right and led him into the suite that Lily had used. She had cleaned it out years ago and redecorated it. "You're sharing these rooms with Draco, I hope you don't mind."

Harry looked at her in shock, "There are like forty other bedrooms in this house, why can't he stay in one of them?"

"It is your first night here and I thought you might like some company." Jennifer said indifferently.

"I don't want Malfoy's company! Where is he going to sleep - there's only one bed?" He asked suspiciously.

"That bed is big enough for the both of you."

"I'll sleep on the floor." Harry said looking at the hard wood floor.

"Nonsense Harry you should give him a chance. Draco is a really nice boy and it would make me happy if you gave him a chance."

"Malfoy is nice! You obviously didn't hear about the time that _he_ tried to kill me." Harry looked at her thoughtfully, "In fact almost every person in this house has tried to kill me at one time or another." Then he looked at the door longingly. "I need my wand," Harry said suddenly realizing that he was completely unarmed.

Jennifer enlarged his trunk and Hedwig's cage. "I'll have Narcissa bring it to you." She looked like she might hug him but her arms fell to her sides and she walked out of the door.

Harry looked around the room and then he settled on sitting down on the bed. "I really have to learn to think before I act."

Draco stood awkwardly realizing that he was left alone in a room with the dark lord. 

"Sit down Draco." Voldemort commanded and Draco hurriedly sat down in a chair opposite from him. "You will be joining my service in a few years?"

Draco nodded eagerly, "Yes my Lord." Draco eyed the door curiously.

"Is there something on your mind?"

"I hadn't realized that Black was on our side, Sir."

This seemed to surprise Voldemort greatly, "Really… your parents have never spoken about him?"

"Not in front of me. I asked my father about Sirius when he escaped from Azkaban but the only thing he told me was that Sirius turned on the Potters and he was Harry Potter's godfather." Draco said thoughtfully, "In fact he hasn't mentioned his Sirius' name since then."

"That is curious," Voldemort murmured. 

Jennifer found Sirius and Narcissa a hallway over from Harry's room. She got their wands back and headed for the sitting room.

"I've got your wand," She said smiling at Tom and Draco when she walked in. Jennifer pulled out Harry and Tom's wands and stared at them in confusion. Though the wands were different lengths and made of different wood she felt a connection between them. It was almost as if… but _that couldn't be right. She continued to stare at the wands until Tom interrupted her._

"Is there something wrong with my wand?" He asked annoyed at not having it back in his possession.

Jennifer turned her attention to him. "I think that your wand is connected to Harry's. It feels almost as if they're brother wands…."

Voldemort stalked over to her and grabbed the two wands. Holding them in his hands he too felt the connection. He raised his own wand and summoned a book from the desk. It worked as it should have and he banished it across the room. Then he held Harry's wand in his hand and repeated the action which worked perfectly. Though you could work magic with another person's wand it shouldn't work as well. He absentmindedly handed Harry's wand back to Jennifer, while he stared at his own in amazement.

"I'm going to show Draco to his room Tom, and then we can talk."

Draco who was looking at Jennifer with curiosity and confusion snapped his attention back to Voldemort. He bowed his head, "My Lord." Then he followed Jennifer out of the sitting room and into the hallway. She handed him Harry's wand and started to walk forward before Draco could question her. They reached the outside of the room, after what felt like hours because of the oppressed silence. She ushered him into the room and closed the door behind him. Draco looked around the room and was vowing with every ounce of magic in his system that he would get Jennifer back for this.

For on the bed, _the only bed,_ sat Harry Potter who was staring at him in disgust.

Draco walked forward calmly and handed Harry his wand. Then he began to get undressed ignoring Harry's new look of revulsion. Once he had stripped down to his boxers and climbed into the bed.

Harry, very reluctantly, got undressed and slipped under the covers as far away from Malfoy as he could get.

Malfoy smirked, noticing Harry's obvious discomfort. He inched closer and closer to Harry until he was only a few inches away from him. Draco reached forward with his left hand and began to trace patterns on Harry's hip.

Harry turned around and grabbed Draco's wrist in a death grip. "_What_ do you think you're doing?" He hissed.

Draco didn't bother wiping the smirk off of his face – Harry didn't seem like the type that would fall for his innocent act. "I'm having fun."

Harry dropped his hand and climbed out of the bed. He grabbed his pillow and put it on the floor. "I would rather drown in my own vomit."

"Where are you going Potter?" Malfoy asked obviously amused.

"I'm sleeping on the floor Malfoy," Harry said very slowly as though he were speaking to a young child.

"Why? There is plenty of room on the bed."

Harry ignored Draco and dropped down to the hard, uncomfortable floor and put his head on the pillow.

Draco sighed after a few minutes. It seemed like Potter was going to seriously sleep on the floor. "I was just joking… come back to bed. That floor has got to be awfully uncomfortable…."

Draco was surprised at what he hard next:

"I've had worse."

Draco leaned up in bed and saw that Potter was caught between being awake and sleeping. 'This could be fun,' Draco thought. 'He'd tell me anything right now.' "What could possibly be worse than a hard wood floor?"

"…Cupboard…."

"Why would you sleep in a cupboard?" He asked suspiciously.

"…My room…."

"Those muggles had you sleep in a _cupboard."_

"…Not that bad…." Harry murmured. 

Draco decided that he would find out more about that latter. "What do you really think of Draco Malfoy?"

"I think that he is an arrogant idiot who should stop trying to get inside of my head and my pants." Harry said with amusement sitting up and staring at an outraged Malfoy.

"You were awake!" Draco said in annoyance. He picked up the only thing that he had besides his wand and threw it at Harry's head.

Harry grabbed the pillow and put it under his head, "Thanks."

 Authors note: I was so surprised at the response that this got. I got this chapter out really fast and I'm kind of nervous about it living up to everyone's expectations. So please tell me what you think of it, even if you've decided that this is the worst piece of literature that you have ever read! If you haven't figured it out from the text another pairing involved in this story is Sirius/Lucius/Narcissa, but I don't know if I'm going to get them back together again. It is a past reference pairing. 

Bella Naris: Here is the next chapter… I worked so hard I almost missed Buffy! Which is my favorite….

Tabitha: I don't think Harry is going to enjoy living with his mortal enemy too much!

Leya: Here is the next part.  

Xirleb70: I won't give up I promise.

Shimalle: Thank you. I hate it when FF.net won't let you review! I don't mind a private e-mail.

Momma-dar: Thank you I got this chapter out sooner than I thought I would.

Pixy: Padfoot is going to have a very large part in this story, not as big as Harry and Draco's though J I haven't decide who is carrying the baby yet, any suggestions? There will be a lot of manipulation in this fic… that is part of the mystery. Whops I shouldn't have told you that!

Liz: Thanks, I'll keep writing if you keep reading it okay?

Redmeadow: Thank you, I don't know how long it will be in-between chapters… it depends on whether or not I've had a creative week.

NayNymic: Harry is having a lot of trouble adapting, especially now that he knows that Sirius is on Voldie's side. He absolutely hates Malfoy so I think it'll take a few chapters and some major guiding (by me!) and some disasters to get Harry to look his way… otherwise it would be unrealistic, you know? That and I am a good friend of mild angst.

Cindlemain: Thank you, I was definitely going for original.

Nymphaline: I will have long chapters even if it takes me two weeks to get them out! I hate it when you read a story and the chapters are really short and you fell like nothing happened. Chocolate covered Draco, *sighs dreamily*… will there be whip cream, and strawberries??

BJ Jones: Thank you. Jennifer is starting to become one of my favorite characters – she is a lot of fun to write, Evil, good looking, protective, manipulative, and kind....

DarkAngel87: You read my other stories! I wasn't really going for originality in those, it is more like I'm trying to get everything into one story (minus the slash) though I guess I might have a few original ideas in there somewhere. Yeah, I like it when the bad guys have a heart too… only I don't like it when they go soft! Please tell me if my bad guys go soft! Draco and Harry are baaaad boys….

Sylvanus Snape: Thank you… here is the next part. 

PeachDancer82: Thank you… I will keep going with the story I promise.

Renae Nyx Hunter: Thank you.

Kittygurl: Here is the next part… most of which was written waiting for my ride home...  in my psychology notebook.

Landell: Jennifer definitely wears the pants in the family… unless the death eaters are there. Voldie has a reputation to uphold after all! Of course she doesn't mind bossing him around in front of Narcissa and Sirius… I shouldn't have told you that L

Angel: Thank you, I'll try to get the chapters out as fast as this. 

Mel: Here is chapter two… hopefully I'll have the next part out before the weekend. 

Bad-ass-Cinderella: Now there is Two! J Thank you for your review.

Black*Plague: What kind of cookie? 

Dracos_Toy33: What sort of things do you want to see happen?

Autumsun: Was this too long of a wait? I hope not! I don't think I can get them out much faster.

Annimay: You're a fan of chocolate Draco too then? Please don't kill me! I will have more chapters! J

Xikum: Thanks! I will continue I promise.

Petunia812002: I've never been hypnotized before… you could try! This chapter is longer than the last one… even without my response to the reviews.

Bubblebabe: Thank you… the next chapter is here.

Lillinfields: Thank you, I worked hard on it… I'm glad you got that message.

Hemaitate9: I'll have the chapters out at least once a week.

M. North: Here is more of it! I'll have more out soon I promise.

Whoa…! Please tell me if you liked this chapter, or if you didn't! 


	3. The world is neither black nor white

Disclaimer: Harry Potter does not belong to me. It belongs to the wonderful people at Warner Brothers and Bloomsburg and Scholastic and of course J K Rowling. 

Summary: Harry Potter's life is about to change forever when he finds out the truth about his mother and makes a decision that can and will effect the entire wizarding world. TR/OC HP/DM and various other pairings.

Warning: This is Slash, which means two guys in a relationship in case you didn't know. This story will have other plot lines but if this bothers you than leave now. This will also be MPreg, which means that a male character will become pregnant. While I don't plan on going into intense detail this is an element of the story and if this bothers you than you should also stay away.

Authors note: This is my second attempt at fan fiction and my first attempt at slash. Criticism is welcome but if you plan on giving me a review about how wrong male/male relationships are and that is the only problem that you have with the story then please don't write the review. I have given you fair warning about the nature of this fic. SLASH and MPREG. Thank you to Moonchild, for the wonderful job that she did with this chapter this chapter. Thank you! 

Chapter three: The world is neither black nor white.

'Sometimes,' Harry would think later on in life, 'the world throws you curve balls; sometimes… sometimes it throws you tornados.' 

On the morning after Harry arrived at Riddle Manor he realized that his entire life was going to change drastically and he didn't even know whether or not he was doing the right thing. Less than a week ago he would have written to Sirius and asked his advice, but after seeing him kissing the robes of the Dark Lord, Harry didn't even want to acknowledge his existence. The next best choice would have been Dumbledore but Harry wasn't quite sure if he could trust the old wizard anymore. He had lied to him, though these days it felt like everyone was lying to him. The only thing that Harry knew was that he didn't want to become the Dark Lord that Rita Skeeter, Daily Prophet reporter, had made him out to be. 

He couldn't even think about owling Ron, he would do something foolish like try and rescue him. No, he would have to leave Ron out of this if he wanted him to be alive. 

He certainly couldn't owl Hermione, she would write to Dumbledore. What he needed was someone like a parent, someone whom he trusted. 

At the moment he couldn't think of a single person who fit either category. 

He would have to bear this on his own. 

Of course the house Harry was staying in didn't get the weather channel, so he didn't see the tornado until it was upon them.

So it was while the entire house was under attack, Harry and Draco were locked in there room, alone with only their wands as protection.

"Who do you think is attacking us?" Harry asked nervously.

"…An enemy." Draco said sarcastically.

"I had figured that out already, Malfoy, I meant do you think that it is the Ministry or Dumbledore?" Harry asked equally anxious about either choice finding him there.

"Dumbledore doesn't know where this house is and I think that we have the Ministry under control, so it probably isn't either of them."

"How many enemies does Voldemort have?" Harry asked as he started to pace back and forth along the length of the room.

"…Enough…"

"Why would they lock us in here?" Harry asked eyeing the door with great suspicion.

"Well, either they don't want to get us killed or they don't want you to run for it. Either way I'm not complaining." Draco said eyeing Harry with great appreciation.

"If Dumbledore doesn't know where this house is, then who does?" Harry asked.

"I don't know, Potter; I'm not exactly the guy with all of the information here." Draco sighed loudly. "… Do you want to make out?"

"NO! Will you stop asking me that, Malfoy? There is a battle out there and you want me to kiss you?"

"I've noticed that you've stopped saying that it was disgusting." Malfoy said inwardly cheering.

"_I've_ noticed that this is the thirtieth time that you've asked me." Harry said with irritation. He stopped pacing to glare at Malfoy.

"Your point would be?"

"_We've only been in here for an hour_."

Earlier that morning….

It was a dewy cool morning on July the second and everything was in complete order. The residents of Riddle Manor woke on time and ate breakfast together - all of the residents except Draco Malfoy and Harry Potter of course.

Upon noting their absence (and making sure that Tom was taking a sip of his drink) Jennifer said, "I think that someone was lucky last night."

Voldemort, who had already noticed the boys' absence, spit his drink out. "What was that?"

"You didn't think that I put them in the same room for them to talk about Quidditch, did you?" Jennifer said on the verge of laughter.

"When were you going to inform me about the match?"

"When it worked out of course, I haven't exactly approached Harry with the subject of an heir. It is after all his second day here."

"You believe that the boy will stay longer?" Voldemort asked curiously.

"I think we might make him stay longer." Jenny said looking down the table at Sirius who was alternating between glaring daggers through Peter's head and looking at his food with great interest without actually eating it. "We have to keep him here until he can at least accept that Sirius is on our side… it will probably take a while – we did strip him of every constant in his life."

"Except for Draco," Voldemort said catching on. "You have become more brilliant in my absence."

"Yes, well it has been thirteen years… and it has affected us all."

"What are you planning, Jenny?" Voldemort asked noticing that her eyes had glazed over.

"What if I told you that there was a way that we could keep Harry here, get him and Draco together, possibly get Luc, Narci' and Sirius back together, and get you some of your powers back?" Jennifer whispered to Voldemort.

"I'd ask you what you had in mind."

"I think we should play that sport you're so fond of."

Voldemort looked thoughtful for a minute before he turned to look at Jennifer. "You're willing to have guests over?"

"I have no problem with entertaining guests, Tom."

"I'll make a few floo calls, then." Voldemort said rising from the table and walking into his study.

Narcissa rose from her place near Sirius and sat in front of Jennifer.

"Good morning, Narci'." 

Narcissa exchanged pleasantries before she voiced her request. "Jennifer, I would appreciate it greatly if I could visit Lucius for a few hours."

Jennifer swallowed painfully and then she said in a tight voice, "He should be arriving in an hour, Narci'."

Narcissa's eyes lit up, but her voice remained formal. "Thank you Jennifer –." She cut herself off as she looked over at Sirius who was looking straight back at her in anger. 

Sirius rose from the table slowly and turned to Jennifer, "If I'm not needed, then I'll retire to my room."

Jennifer frowned in Sirius' direction. "Actually, Sirius, you are needed. There will be a meeting in an hour."

This time Sirius paled. "Harry –."

"Harry will be fine, Sirius… we'll lock him in the room with Draco. We are going to use this meeting to inform our supporters of our newest addition. I'm sure that by now the wizarding world is aware of his disappearance." Jennifer said almost gleefully.

"Dumbledore knew of his departure right away… he had called me in to see if I could find him." Sirius said quietly. 

"Everything is going to be fine, Sirius." Narcissa said in what she hoped would be a reassuring voice.

"Listen to her, Sirius… _everything is going to be just fine_."

Sirius tensed at hearing that voice for the first time in years. He turned around to see Lucius standing in the doorway as confident as ever, with his eyes fixed on Sirius. 

Lucius diverted his eyes to Jennifer and took hold of her hand, kissing it softly. "It is wonderful to see you, Mrs. Riddle."

Jennifer yanked her hand out of Lucius' hand and regarded him coldly. "I wish I could say the same of you, Lucius."

Voldemort appeared in the doorway and walked behind Jennifer. "Now, now, he only said hello, Jenny."

Jennifer turned around and glared at him. Upon seeing the amusement in his eyes her expression softened. "I need to lock Harry and Draco in their room, if you'll excuse me." Not waiting for an answer, Jennifer left the room and headed upstairs.

"Doesn't she mean 'rooms'?" Lucius said curiously. 

"The boys are sharing a room, Luc." Narcissa replied.

Lucius nearly lost control. Narcissa, upon seeing his eyes spark with anger, led him out of the room dragging Sirius with her.

"There are plenty of other rooms in the Manor, why must Draco be forced into sharing a room with Potter?" Lucius said angrily.

"I don't believe that he was forced Luc, in fact I believe that he was keen on the idea." Narcissa said softly.

Instead of acknowledging Narcissa, Lucius turned to Sirius. "Would you mind giving us a moment, this is a family matter."

Sirius closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He walked toward the door but stopped when he heard Narcissa say to Lucius angrily. 

"He is a part of our family, Lucius… I don't care what happened to the two of you all those years ago, but you had better work it out soon if you want to be a part of _my_ family." Then she brushed past Sirius and exited the room leaving the two of them behind in stunned silence. 

Lucius cleared his throat. "Maybe she's right…"

Sirius turned around and felt the hurt that Lucius had caused him being replaced with anger. "You know what, Lucius… I don't care if she is." Sirius turned back around and walked out of the same door that Narcissa had.

"Perhaps I was wrong," Lucius said quietly to the empty room.

(Harry and Draco in the present….)

"Will you stop pacing, Potter?" Draco asked, irritated.

"Is it bothering you, Malfoy?" Harry asked curiously.

"Yes… you are making me dizzy." 

"Good," Harry said and he continued pacing.

"What is wrong with you today, Potter… did you wake up on the wrong side of the bed?" Draco said playfully.

Harry tensed. "Actually, as you well know, I wish never to repeat the manner in which I woke up this morning, Malfoy."

"I thought you would be more comfortable in the bed." Draco said feigning innocence, and as he had predicted the night before Harry didn't buy it.

"That was very considerate of you." Harry said sarcastically. "Did you also think that I would feel _comfortable with your hands wrapped around me?" Harry said practically shaking with disgust._

"You looked cold," Draco said defensively. 

"That might have been because you felt the need to take all of the covers off of the bed." Harry practically growled.

"I was hot."

"I don't know how to make this much clearer. I wouldn't touch you with a fifteen foot pole if you were the last living thing on the face of the earth."

"What if it was just you and me and a giant Blast-Ended Skrewt?"

"I'd have to mix plenty of healing potions then, wouldn't I?" Harry said evenly.

"Ha bloody ha, why can't you give me a chance, Potter? I can be a good person."

Harry scoffed. "A good person… like when you gave that interview with Rita Skeeter? Or when you made up those _Potter stinks badges? Oh I know! You were being a good person when you dressed up like a dementor so you could knock me off my broom? If that is you being a good person then I think that I'll take my chances with the Skrewt, it probably has a better personality."_

"I never did anything that really hurt you, did I? You on the other hand knocked me unconscious the other day and left me on the train if I remember correctly."

Harry nearly shook with anger. "You threatened my friends."

"I was warning you… like I said you had picked the losing side."

"Go to hell, Malfoy…." Harry said quietly as he turned toward the door. He raised his wand, pointed it at the door and said evenly, "Reducto!" The curse spiraled toward the door and upon impact it turned around and came toward Harry.

Draco watched with horror as the curse bounced off of the door that seemed to be protected from magic, and was speeding in Harry's direction. With his seeker agility he rand into Harry and knocked them both to the ground. He winced as he heard the bed explode. He looked down at Harry who was staring at the pieces of the bed in absolute terror. 

"I didn't mean to… I didn't know…." Harry muttered. 

Draco looked down at him curiously, "It's fine Potter… you aren't hurt, are you?" He asked noticing the expression of terror still fixed on Harry's face.

"I destroyed the bed… I didn't mean to." Harry said quietly staring at the shards of wood in terrified interest. 

Draco rolled his eyes and pulled out his wand. He concentrated on a picture of the bed, as it was before it had been blown up, that he had drawn up in his mind. "…Reparo."

The pieces of wood that were strewn over the room flickered for a moment and rearranged themselves into the solid bed. Draco, satisfied with his work, put his wand back in his pocket and stared down at Harry, whom he was currently half-sitting half-laying on. He leaned over and pressed his body against Harry's.

Harry smirked at him and then… kneed him in the stomach.

Draco, who had the wind knocked out of him rolled off Harry. "What was that for?" He asked annoyed.

"I told you not to touch me."

"No… you said that _you_ wouldn't touch _me_." 

"Fine, then I'm telling you now, don't touch me, Malfoy." Harry said seriously. 

"Why won't you think about giving me a chance?"

Harry glanced at Malfoy thoughtfully, "You know what, Malfoy?"

Draco looked at him questioningly.

"You should have let me explode into little pieces."

"Why won't you even consider it?"

"Do you want the condensed version or the top one hundred reasons? You are the enemy. You have never attempted to be anything but annoyingly evil toward me and my friends. You're a Slytherin. Your father tried to kill half of the school and Ginny Weasley. You plan on supporting Voldemort in the near future. Oh, and probably the most important reason, in case you hadn't noticed, Malfoy, _you are a guy_."

Malfoy looked generally confused. "What does it matter?"

Harry closed his eyes and took a deep breath, and then he counted to ten. He opened his eyes and stared at Malfoy. "I am not attracted to the male population. In layman terms, I like women."

"…As do I." Draco said honestly.

"Well, then I suggest you get your eyes fixed because I am not a woman." Harry hissed.

Draco shook his head, "No, I mean I like men _and women, don't you?"_

"Of course I don't. It is wrong." Harry said hotly.

"You know, I am going to kill Dumbledore one of these days for forcing you to live with Muggles. It isn't wrong, Potter; it is common place among magical folk. In fact we're lucky we fall for our own species most of the time. Besides even if we didn't have a tendency of doing that it still isn't wrong."

"You mean it's _normal_ in the wizarding world?" 

"Tell me that you haven't noticed two guys or two girls for that matter on a date in Hogsmeade."

"I – I never noticed."

"It isn't any different than Hagrid's father falling in love with a giantess."

The mention of Hagrid's name broke Harry out of his stupor. "They ridiculed Hagrid for that."

"Well that is because the giants are dangerous." Draco said sagely.

"Hagrid isn't dangerous!" Harry said in defense of his first friend. 

"I'm sure he isn't," Draco sneered. "That really isn't the point anyway; the point is that you should consider a future with me in it!"

"No."

"…Why not?"

"…Because I can't stand you, and unless you can prove to me that you are a completely different person than I thought you were than I can't even be your friend."

"I won't give up, Potter." Draco promised.

"…And I won't give in, Malfoy."

Sirius walked out on Lucius and received a disapproving glare from Narcissa who was waiting on the other side of the door. 

"Sirius… he isn't the same guy you knew. I wish that you would give him a second chance." Narcissa said quietly.

"No, he isn't, from what I hear he is worse. Look, Narci', you heard him yourself, I'm not a part of your family anymore… technically I never was."

"Just because you don't have a ring on your finger doesn't mean that you aren't a part of my family." Narcissa hissed.

"No," Sirius agreed, "No, it doesn't. It just means that neither of you loved me enough to put one there… or to save me from twelve years of hell when you knew that I was innocent." 

Narcissa grabbed his arm as Sirius started to walk away. "Sirius, it was never like that… we do love you…."

Sirius wrenched her hand off of his arm. "Then I should have realized that Slytherins have a different concept about love than Gryffindors. You see when we love… we love with our minds, bodies, and souls. Obviously that isn't the case with Slytherins – they love until they get tired of a person… then they let that person sit with the dementors for years. I should have remembered."

"We couldn't get you out, Sirius, you know that… Luc couldn't just break you out of jail."

Sirius frowned at her, "Yeah, my brain knows that but my heart is telling me a different story." Sirius walked out of the hallway and into the room where the meeting was going to take place.

Lucius stepped out of the other room a few moments later. He put an arm around Narcissa and sighed. "Sirius always did have a flare for the dramatic."

Narcissa shrugged his arm off. "You were listening through the door?"

"All of the doors in the Manor are magically sound proof," Lucius supplied as an answer.

"You had better apologize… or put a ring on his finger, Luc. And you had better do it soon, before he finds someone else."

"You don't understand the nature of our argument, Narcissa." 

Narcissa looked at her husband almost coldly, "I think that I can guess."

"You told me a long time ago that the only thing that Sirius would do is share our bed."

"That was before we fell in love with him – at least I had thought that we _both_ fell in love." 

"Narcissa, I don't understand what you expect me to do."

"You have a lot of influence with Fudge, get Sirius a trial." Narcissa said quietly.

Lucius looked shocked for a moment before his face returned to its emotionless state. "I can't ask the Minister to allow Sirius Black, Voldemort's most infamous follower, a trial. Narci', he'll start to suspect us…."

"Can't or won't? If the Ministry suspects us it will only be a bit of an embarrassment – you've cleared all of the dangerous items out of the house – but if Sirius isn't back in our lives permanently…." Narcissa trailed off.

"What? You'll divorce me?" Lucius scoffed. 

Narcissa turned away from him and snapped her fingers. Her dress robes shimmered for a second and then turned into plain black robes. She reached into one of the folds and pulled out a white mask. As she pulled the mask over her head she spoke to Lucius quietly. "We'll be late for the meeting – you should change into your robes." 

As she made to leave the room Lucius grabbed her arm. "This conversation isn't over," he hissed.

Narcissa nodded curtly and disappeared through the door. 

Lucius snapped his own fingers and proceeded to change into the necessary garb for a Death Eater meeting.

After two hours of standing and pacing the length of the room Harry sat down in the armchair in front of the fire. The silence that surrounded Harry and Draco (since Harry's declaration) was starting to become oppressive. It actually worried Harry that fifteen minutes had passed and Malfoy hadn't attempted to rope him into a relationship or a kiss, but Harry refused to look in Malfoy's direction.

Draco was sitting on the bed contemplating his next move. Harry was obviously going to make this as hard as he could. That meant that Draco was going to have to do something drastic… he was going to have to _prove that he was __trustworthy. Considering his inexperience in that matter it was probably going to take some time. He figured that the best way to start would be to find out more about Harry._

"Why do you always defend Hagrid?" The question was asked through gritted teeth – not the best approach but he _was trying._

Harry finally turned around in his armchair to acknowledge Draco's existence. His eyes narrowed in suspicion. "He's my friend."

Draco barely bit back a scathing remark about Hagrid's heritage. Instead he opted for, "So… if we were friends you'd defend me?"

"If I was friends with you I would defend you, yes, but you see, Malfoy, I am not your friend." 

Draco looked like he was having an inner debate. After a few moments he sighed and jumped off the bed. He walked over to Harry and held his hand out in front of him, looking down at Harry expectantly.

Harry stared at the offered limb, remembering all those years ago when it had first been presented to him.

_"You'll soon find that some wizarding families are much better than others, Potter. You don't want to go making friends with the wrong sort. I can help you there."_

Harry brought himself back to reality. He stared at Draco's face and noticed that he seemed a bit nervous – quite unlike their first meeting. Then Harry thought about how long the summer was going to be… if he had an ally it might not seem quite so long. Or better yet maybe Draco could help him get out of here. In fact he might be able to convince Draco that he was wrong about Muggles and Muggle born children. His mind made up, he slowly shook his head and denied Draco's offer. "I'm not ready to be your friend Malfoy, but I'll settle on a truce."  

Draco, pleased that Harry had given him something to work with, walked over to Harry's trunk and looked at Harry expectantly. "Show me how you are able to walk around Hogsmeade, or should I say how your disembodied head is able to float around Hogsmeade."

"Still going on about seeing my head floating around, are we? One might think you are obsessed."

"Listen Potter… you made a fool out of me and I demand to know how!" 

Harry smirked, "Wouldn't you love to know…. However, I don't think that I should tell my secrets to a Slytherin… rumor has it they are not the sort to be trusted."

"We can be trusted… in certain situations. What if I give you my word?" Draco asked sitting on top of Harry's trunk.

"How much is Draco Malfoy's word worth these days? …About half a knut?" Harry said playfully though Draco didn't seem to take it that way.

"The word of a Malfoy is worth much more than that." Draco said coldly.

Harry rolled his eyes, "I see that Slytherins can't take a joke either." Harry gave a long suffering sigh and walked over to his trunk. He motioned for Draco to move and then he opened it. Harry felt around the trunks contents until his hand came in contact with a soft, silky material. He grasped the cloak and pulled it out of the trunk, letting the lid close with a resounding _thud_. 

Draco let out a sound of triumph when he saw the cloak in Harry's hand. "You have an invisibility cloak… I knew it! So where did you get it?"

"It was a Christmas present from a friend of my father's." Harry very deliberately left out that he was almost certain that Dumbledore had sent it to him. "My father left it with them when he and my mother went under the Fidelius spell."

"Wow… father has one but he refuses to let me take it to Hogwarts. Those are very valuable…."

"Yeah I know… I can't even tell you how many times this has gotten me out of trouble." Harry said almost wistfully. 

Draco, not really dying to hear about the Gryffindor's excursions, accredited Harry's fascination with the cloak. 

"It was the best gift I've ever gotten." Harry answered. "…Though my Firebolt comes in a close second." 

"The finest broomstick on the market," Draco agreed. 

Harry nodded silently lapsing into a morose silence as he remembered who had sent him the broom in his third year at Hogwarts. Rationally he knew that someday he would have to forgive Sirius… after all that is what being part of a family is about – forgiveness. Harry knew that it would take some time and a lot of groveling and explaining on Sirius' part, and that could only come when Harry was ready to listen.

"What are you thinking about?" Draco asked, interrupting Harry's thoughts.

Harry looked at Draco and assessed him for a minute. Than settling on telling Draco the truth he summarized the situation with Sirius using as little detail as possible. 

Draco raised an eyebrow. "Sirius is your godfather – which I already knew – and he is innocent. He bought you that broom and now you refuse to speak with him because he is a 'traitor'."

"Basically… I just need to take a while and cool off. I hate it when people lie to me." Harry said resentfully. "Which, coincidentally, they have been doing a lot lately."

"It can't be all that bad."

"Malfoy, you have no idea what my life has been like."

"Then tell me." Draco suggested. 

"I would but I'm not really anxious to have it reenacted at the Slytherin table the morning we get back."

"You have my word that I will do nothing of the sort." 

Harry gave him a hard look. Then he decided that if Malfoy was lying then he would curse him into next year. "It's a really long story…."

"My afternoon is free."

Voldemort stood proudly in the middle of his circle of supporters. The number had grown since the night at the graveyard. While he still didn't have his most faithful followers with him his less human ones had joined him tonight, and with good reason. They were all gathered at Riddle Manor to take part in a magical sport that was quite similar to dueling. The group of Death Eaters would split into two separate groups and fire curses at each other as though they were fighting a battle. Of course Voldemort had put his own twist on the game. Any type of magic was acceptable except for the killing curse and Voldemort would stand in the middle of the fight with his Vampire supporters surrounding him. Since the Vampires were already dead, they could act as a transfusion between the left over magic and Voldemort. He would then absorb the energy as his own and gain some of his original powers. It was also fun as hell.

"My faithful followers… I have a few things to inform you of before we get to the reason why I called you here today. A new supporter has joined our ranks recently. I am certain that he will prove to be an asset to us in future obstacles. As you can see our circle is a little fuller… some of our faction have joined with us again… they are to be given a warm welcome. I have some exciting news about our young Mr. Potter… he is not to be touched until I have time to put the beginning of my plan into play. Now as for the reason I have summoned you… it is time to start our campaign – we will be listened to this time around. To set ourselves into motion we are going to get my power back, and to do that I will need your help…."

So it was for several hours that curses were thrown left and right – the magical residue sliding through the Vampires and into Voldemort through way of a spell. The ball room of Riddle Manor was in shambles and the Death Eaters exhausted, by the time they were through.

When they had formed the circle again it was a very different Voldemort who stood in the middle, one that looked quite human and appeared to be thirty years old.

"Can I ask you one question?" Draco asked calmly after listening to Harry's life story.

"Sure," Harry agreed tiredly. 

"Why haven't you killed those Muggles yet? And how can you experience such hate from Muggles and not agree with our side?" Draco said fervently.

"Do they teach you to count in Slytherin?" Harry asked evenly.

Draco scowled.

"I am not going to dignify your first question with a response but as to your second question – the Dursleys are only one family of Muggles. You're forgetting that most Muggles are tolerant if not kind… I just got stuck with the wrong sort." 

"Yeah and who stuck you there? Albus Dumbledore –."

Harry cut him off and began telling Draco that if they were to be friends than it wouldn't be wise to speak ill of Albus Dumbledore in his presence. Due to the passionate tone that his speech had taken on he hadn't noticed that the door had been unlocked and that Jennifer was leaning against the doorjamb listening to him – that is until she interrupted him.

"Let me tell you a little something about Albus Dumbledore." Jennifer said coolly, though inwardly she was shaking with rage.

Harry jumped and turned around sharply at the sound of her voice.

Jennifer walked into the room and stared Harry square in the face. "Albus Dumbledore helped kill my daughter. Don't shake your head, Harry, it's true. You think so highly of your Headmaster, do you? You want to know the truth about that Halloween night; do you want to know what really saved you? Do you want to know what really gave you that scar? Your precious Headmaster gave Lily a charm the night before the Potters went into hiding… in case big bad evil Voldemort found them. Sirius tells me Dumbledore told Lily it was a protection charm – to save you in case anything happened. Dumbledore knew Tom would catch up with them… there isn't much that the old fool _doesn't know. He had had this charm lying around for a while, you see – it was the perfect way to end the war… and we had anticipated that he might use it. _

"We took precautions… drew up a ritual in case the charm was used. Years passed and there were many opportunities for him to use it but he didn't… and foolishly we forgot about it. The charm has a draw back, you see – it requires a human sacrifice. One would place the charm on a person that they choose and when one died they would live in that person for a few moments… allow that person to have their magic and their strength. When Lily's body died she wasn't exactly dead… her essence was inside of you for a few seconds and she used you to turn Tom's spell on him with her last dying breath; she acted as a barrier. This wouldn't have worked by itself – Dumbledore knew that – so he used a will strengthening potion on her. Instead of running with you she stuck around, jumped in front of the killing curse and got herself killed. That is the Albus Dumbledore that we know Harry… he'd kill a harmless girl to end the war. What do you think of your esteemed Headmaster now?"

Author's note: I have finals next week and this weekend will be spent doing math if it kills me… which it very well may. So unless I continue with my normal procrastination then I won't be touching this until Wednesday. Of course with all the stress I'll probably find refuge in writing…. 

Xikum: I'm leaning more toward Draco having the baby… 'Cause I think that Harry has enough things to deal with right now, plus a pregnant Draco is just plain hysterical. I absolutely hate Wormtail as well but he won't be dying in this fic…. Sev' isn't a Voldie supporter… I'm sorry but he will of course make an appearance when they head back to Hogwarts. I was definitely going for a political thing, though unlike Political parties (at least I think lol) Voldemort gets um _angry_ when you openly go against him.

ZetaStar

Asioleh: I'm trying to stay as true to cannon as I can… trying!

PeachDancer82: I am never bored by opinions! As for Tom and Harry… some stuff is going to happen and some feelings will develop but I don't think they are going to last. I have a really good ending planned out but I don't really know if this fic will be able to end like that… so they will have some feeling of compassion at some point in the story. Jennifer is certainly not a Mary sue. Wait until you see her at Diagon alley… she has a mean streak almost as wide as Voldemort's.

Pixy: Harry is running anywhere yet.

NayNymic: No resorting! Harry is a Gryffindor and he always will be even if he isn't in Hogwarts anymore. Ron and Hermione are going to reach an understanding with Harry. You have to have some angst for it to be realistic… I mean when was the last time you started a relationship with your enemy - and it went smoothly…? It's never happened to anyone I know that's for sure. : -) 

HPIceAngel: Soon… I promise.

Fireangle

Cindlemain: Thank you Luc/Narci/Sirius is a ton of fun to write!

Grrrinning Golden Retriever: Voldie isn't really a good guy per say but neither is Dumbledore. That is a really good idea about Arthur but I don't think that it will work for this fic. Harry is going to learn a lot of things and one of them is going to be is that there is bad and good people everywhere. He is also going to have to make some hard decisions, and they wouldn't be hard if everyone he loved was on one side. There isn't going to be any rape in this fic… frankly I don't think that I could write it. There might be a little torture though… not in anyway sexual but you know like interrogation if there weren't any boundaries – nothing too graphic or frequent. Sometimes really sad endings are the best ones… only if there is a sequel with a happy ending of course. Thank you for pointing out the mistake… I had a beta for this chapter but I did do some writing after she sent it back so if you spot anything wrong point it out.

Redmeadow: Eventually everything will come together… of course it might not come together in the way that most people think it will.

Sylvanus Snape: I haven't even gotten to the mystery yet! 

Kiren: I have more of Jennifer's side explained in this chapter but I haven't exactly explained why Tom would go from a Prefect to Dark Lord yet… don't worry I'm going to explain it.

Jan Aswaldsson: Have you ever heard of the Cognitive Dissonance Theory? I learned about it a few weeks ago in psychology and basically it means that contracting thoughts cause discomfort. If people act in ways that are inconsistent with their attitudes or self images it makes them uncomfortable. This can then lead to people making their thoughts or attitudes agree with their actions. Think about smokers who know that cigarettes are dangerous but they smoke anyway. They could quit but it would probably be easier to convince themselves that smoking isn't all that dangerous. (All information is from my Psych book and is not in anyway mine). Oh and just because Harry is staying there doesn't mean he's 'crossed over'. Basically all it means is that right now he is confused as hell. 

Nymphaline: What about cherries? Malfoy is wearing thin on Harry's patience. *grin*

Dracoharryfan: Thank you. This chapter is longer and Harry and Draco interact more.

Bad-ass-Cinderella: Some more for you.

Serenitas: I don't really love Ron either but you can't really have Harry without him. His Gryffindor half will be explained. 

Dragon-Phoenix

Jenn

Angel: I'm sort of leaning toward Draco… for a lot of reasons. Thank you.

Bubblebabe

DarkAngel87: Thank you, Luc/Narci/Sirius is so much fun to write… so many problems, I almost couldn't decide which ones to go into in this chapter. 

Xirleb70: I've been there… essay to write… fan fiction to write/read which do you think won? J 

Jade: First Slash story you've read? Hmm you should go and read unthinkable thoughts by Aidan Lynch… it isn't anything like my story but it is the sweetest Draco/Harry fic that I've come across yet. It should still be here on FF.net.

Andrea56: I agree. The Harry as a victim fics are okay if he is like almost dead or completely stripped of his magic and one of his hands are cut off then I say yep Harry is a victim. Or if they are well written – I'll read almost anything that is well written. 

Renae Nyx Hunter: Stop you'll make me blush! 

Jliles

Petunia812002: I don't think that he would do anything just because someone told him to either. You see, Jennifer and Tom are very used to getting their way and when they don't… well you know – and they can't exactly kill Harry.

Black*Plague: There are cookies out there that aren't Draco favored? I should try them sometime… or not. 

VtE

RuinedEmperor: *Flattered beyond words* I have run out of words… I don't believe this has happened since I was able to talk.

Lillie chan: I don't know I think that a pregnant Draco could be very fun.

Haeniliel

Someonesgurl

KawaiiWhiteWolf: Thank you.

Pari106

Kathi C: Snape will be alive, though Voldie is not happy with him.  


	4. Seeing Red

* * *

  
  


Disclaimer: Harry Potter does not belong to me. It belongs to the wonderful people at Warner Brothers and Bloomsburg and Scholastic and of course J K Rowling. Although the other day Ms. Rowling did mention that she might consider selling it to me….

Harry: Really?

Me: *long suffering sigh* no not really…. 

Summary: Harry Potter's life is about to change forever when he finds out the truth about his mother and makes a decision that can and will effect the entire wizarding world. TR/OC HP/DM and various other pairings.

Warning: This is Slash, which means two guys in a relationship in case you didn't know. This story will have other plot lines but if this bothers you than leave now. This will also be MPreg, which means that a male character will become pregnant. While I don't plan on going into intense detail this is an element of the story and if this bothers you than you should also stay away.

Authors note: This is my second attempt at fan fiction and my first attempt at slash. Criticism is welcome but if you plan on giving me a review about how wrong male/male relationships are and that is the only problem that you have with the story then please don't write the review. I have given you fair warning about the nature of this fic. SLASH and MPREG. A hundred Million thanks to my bets Moonchild!

Chapter four: Seeing Red

Harry had come to a decision… he had to get the hell out of that house. After Jennifer's explanation he could only think of possible ways to escape… and his chance came only a few days later during the promised Diagon Alley visit, except he didn't take it.

The moment they set foot inside the Leaky Caldron it seemed as though everyone were avoiding them, which was quite strange compared to the treatment that Harry usually endured. It was just Jennifer and Harry… the trip was meant to cheer up Harry who had been acting practically brooding the past few days. It wasn't exactly cheering him up as much as it was causing him to redefine the word "anxious". 

When they entered Madam Malkin's to buy Harry's clothing, the owner took one look at Jennifer and scurried into the back room. Jennifer, Harry noted, seemed miffed at her behavior but not in the least bit surprised. 

"Madam," Jennifer called coldly. "I do believe that we are in need of some assistance."

The owner opened the door cautiously and Harry noticed that her wand was very obviously placed in a holster at her waist. "Yes, I'm sorry, of course Ms. Grind-."

"I don't want to hear any excuses!" Jennifer barked. "Mr. Potter requires a new wardrobe… charge it to my account." She turned on her heels and stalked to the door that led back into Diagon Alley. She reached for the doorknob and then turned swiftly to glare at Madam Malkin. "Do make sure that Harry is well taken care of. I expect him to be ready within the hour." Her voice drifted away once the door was slammed shut.

Madam Malkin's shoulders sagged with relief. She turned to stare at Harry and after a few moments she looked as though she had come to a decision about something. "I could owl Albus Dumbledore if you'd like Mr. Potter…." She said timidly, like she was expecting Harry to whip his wand out for the very suggestion.

Harry's eyes brightened for a moment before he remembered everything that he had been through in the past few days. Could he really go back to his own world knowing everything that he did now? Could he leave knowing that Sirius would be on the opposite side of the war? Then again, could he stay? Could he turn his back on everything he knew? Could he pretend that he had never been friends with Ron or Hermione? Harry realized that he couldn't do any of these things… he couldn't stay but he couldn't go either. Harry could only see one possibility left…

…He would spy on both sides, and come to a decision as to who was trustworthy later. As for now, he had a relative who was willing to buy him things, and to teach him.

_Did he want her to owl Albus Dumbledore?_

"That's alright, Madam… I was thinking about getting something in green." Harry said quietly.

Madam Malkin hesitated for a minute before she rushed to show Harry their latest selections.

Jennifer left the robe shop in a huff. How dare that woman call her by her maiden name! She had half a mind to march back into that shop and teach her some respect … but she had business to attend to and supplies to acquire. She hurried down the Alley and to a sharp left… originally she had wanted to bring Harry with her into Knockturn Alley but after his admission of hatred for the place she thought it might be a little too much too soon.

She entered a shop on her left and smiled briefly as the familiar smell hit her. She glanced at the store owner who was looking at her as though she had risen from the dead. 

Quickly remembering his manners the man bowed and took her hand in his, "Mrs. Riddle, I had thought, had heard of your untimely death but I suppose I must check my sources more carefully."

"Mr. Borgin, as delighted as I am to see you, I'm afraid I haven't dropped in for a social call. I believe that you received an invite to a gathering at the manner this evening though." 

"Yes, by immediate owl, Mrs. Riddle. I've already sent my consent," Mr. Borgin said thankfully.

"I need to pick up a few supplies on _beginners_ Dark Arts." Jennifer said, and noticing his surprised look she decided to elaborate a bit further. "We have picked up a new student for the summer… bright fellow. Give me everything I may need, Mr. Borgin… and do make it quick…. I have several other stops today."

The owner nodded and ducked behind the counter and into a back room, quickly gathering all of the supplies he had for beginners Dark Arts, checking twice that he had everything. After all Mrs. Riddle was not one to upset… and if she didn't extract her revenge than her husband certainly would.

"Is this everything I require?" Jennifer asked regarding the pile distrustfully.

"These are all of the materials that I carry for beginners, Mrs. Riddle. Of course I don't carry potions ingredients or talismans from outside of the country…."

"I am well aware of what you do and do not carry, Mr. Borgin." Jennifer snapped. "How much does this come to?"

Mr. Borgin swallowed painfully as he added the numbers in his head. The items that he was selling to her were quite expensive. "No charge, Mrs. Riddle."

Jennifer smirked as she shrunk the items to fit in her pocket… she didn't expect anything more.

Harry stared at Jennifer questioningly as she strode into the shop with her hands empty. She gave him a half smile and _politely_ asked him if he had gotten everything he might need.

Harry nearly fell off of the platform that he was standing on. She was in a considerably good mood… Harry didn't know whether he should be feeling relieved or nervous. He debated on his history and he decided that perhaps being nervous was a good thing.

Jennifer pulled out her wand and shrunk the packages before turning to Harry and asking if there was anywhere else he would like to go.

Harry turned and looked out of the window in Madam Malkin's robe shop and down the road at the Quidditch supplies shop.

Jennifer followed his gaze and nodded curtly, "Let's check out the latest broom model then shall we?"

The crowd parted in the Alley almost as though they had known that Harry and Jennifer were on their way to the Quidditch store.

One child was reluctant though, "…But Mum! I want to check out the broom again, did you see it has an acceleration of 200 miles per hour in eight seconds…." The boy's voice rifted away and as Harry and Jennifer neared the window they could hear the child's mother scolding him.

"I saw, Sam… but we have to be getting home now… you know how your Father likes us to be early these days."

"Dad told us to spend the day out of the house!" The boy, Sam, protested. 

Harry cast curious eyes on the pair and he caught the Mother staring at Jennifer fearfully. 

The boy, too, had followed his Mother's eyes over to Jennifer. He appeared confused for a minute before recognition sparked in his eyes, "Mum… isn't that the woman from Father's old newspaper?"

The woman was dragging him off into the direction of the Leaky Caldron, "Of course not, Sam… we really have to be getting home now."

Harry watched them disappear into the pub before turning to look at Jennifer questioningly. 

Jennifer, who had of course noticed the spectacle, said quietly, "The Fitzgerald's… an old family." Then she turned to stare at the display in front of Quality Quidditch Supplies pointedly. 

Harry's eyes widened in delight at the new broom on display:

**_S_****_i_****_l_**_v_******_e_****_r_******_A_******_r_****_r_**_o_******_w_******_2_******_0_****_0_**_4_**__**

_This old model has been improved upon and brought back by the International Association of Quidditch; its sleek handle provides fast turning and easy control for the modern Quidditch player. The take off time is the fastest we've seen yet with 200 mph acceleration in 8 seconds, and its assortment of protection charms is the greatest. Price on request._

Jennifer watched Harry admire the broom and she put a light hand on his shoulder. She nearly laughed as Harry jumped from being jolted out of his reverie. "Well let's go inside and get you one of these…. Perhaps Draco could use one as well?"

Harry looked from the display to Jennifer in shock. He thought of all the Quidditch matches that he could win on it… and he imagined himself flying circles around Malfoy. Then he realized who would be purchasing the broom for him and he sighed. "My Firebolt is in fine condition."

"Don't you want this broom?" Jennifer asked confused.

"I don't need it." Harry mumbled and Jennifer didn't hear him. Loudly he said, "I'm still rather attached to my own broom… maybe in a few years I'll get a new one."

Jennifer shifted her attention from the broom to Harry and then she turned to look down the road at the Cauldron shop. "I still need a solid gold number 3 caldron… and a few other items. I was wondering if you might be able to pick that up for me." She pulled out a pouch and handed it to him.

Harry took it and was surprised by its weight. "I can do that."

Jennifer gave Harry the first genuine smile that Harry had received from her. "Thank you, Harry… you know I was beginning to worry about you, but I think that you'll do just fine."

Harry turned toward the Cauldron shop thinking numbly, 'That's what worries me.'

It was late afternoon when the Portkey that Jennifer and Harry used transported them in front of Riddle Manor… and it was the first time that Harry had had an outside view of the home… if you could call it that. He shivered involuntarily at the luminous structure and for a moment it seemed as though the house welcomed him. It was an intense feeling, like that of coming home after years of absence. He glanced at Jennifer who seemed immensely pleased with the house's reaction.

She pulled something out of her pocket and used her wand to enlarge it. Harry recognized the package as his robes. "Change into your new dress robes and cloak… tonight is your introduction."

Harry turned to ask, 'introduction to what?' – When the door opened and he saw Malfoy waiting for them. 

Once they were inside Malfoy took a hold of him with one hand and grabbed the packages in the other. "We'll see you at seven, Jennifer." Malfoy said politely before he dragged Harry up to their rooms.

Once Harry was hauled into the room by a strangely enthusiastic Draco Malfoy, he detached himself from the tight grip on his arm. "…Introduction to what, Malfoy?"

Malfoy looked confused for a moment before he seemed to understand what Harry was talking about. "It's an introduction into the wizarding society."

"I don't understand… wasn't that what the sorting was for?" Harry asked blinking owlishly. 

Draco quirked an eyebrow at him in amusement, "No the sorting was for the purpose of sorting you." At Harry's glare he explained what kind of introduction. "Your 15th birthday is this summer, right? Mine was back in January… and usually a pure blooded wizard has something of a coming out party – no, Potter, not that kind of coming out. Your parents hold it for you, or the people who consider themselves your guardians… and they introduce you to the wizarding world as an adult. You meet employers and shop owners, friends of your parents - stuff like that. Basically you start to make connections with people you might need something from later in life. Don't worry you have another two years before you have to work with or contact any of these people. It is also an ideal time to choose a partner. You don't have to…" Draco added noticing the increase of panic that had made its way across Harry's features. "I wasn't able to – since my party was cancelled due to unconventional circumstances. Bloody Triwizard Tournament ruined quite a few things… you would have gotten an invite though I'm sure." Draco said sincerely and at the look of disbelief that Harry shot him he continued. "I would have needed you to be there when I chose you as a partner, wouldn't I have?"

Harry blanched. "Exactly how long have you had this fixation on me?"

"I guess what they say about Gryffindors is correct – if it isn't some sort of life endangering mystery they wouldn't notice it if it danced naked in front of them. I've been trying to get your attention since I was eleven, Potter… though it didn't turn into anything physical until a year and a half ago probably."

"You've liked me since we were thirteen?" Harry said faintly. "Really wouldn't have guessed that one… what with you having been a total bastard toward me. My mistake, obviously you attempting to kill me should have tipped me off straight away. I mean we all try to kill the one's we love at one point or another."

"…Yes, definitely…." Draco said not noting Harry's sarcasm. 

Harry looked like he was going to be sick. "I think you need counseling, Malfoy, if that is your idea of a healthy relationship." Then Harry sat down on the bed heavily, almost crushing the packages as he did so. 

Draco stood in front of Harry and waved a hand in front of his face, when he received no response he knelt in front of him. "Potter… Harry, look at me." Draco commanded. "I never said that I wanted a healthy relationship with you, all I said is that I wanted you. I mean, can you honestly picture me in a normal relationship? That isn't to say that I would treat you badly… I just… shit I'm really not that good at this you know? I know that I want to be with you when you're ready – not that I plan on easing off any time soon – and I certainly wouldn't outright force you into anything. Believe me if that's how I wanted it you would already be sleeping with me… I have enough blackmail material on your friends to keep you in my bed for a very long time. But I don't want your submission, I want _you."_

Harry looked into Draco's eyes not really shocked by the strong emotion there. His words and his emotions matched so much that Draco Malfoy would have to have been an academy award winner if he was lying. This didn't do anything to alleviate Harry's fears, if anything they increased. 

Harry turned away from Draco first. "I won't…."

Draco stood up and his features became guarded again, and Harry found himself wishing he hadn't spoken. "You won't what, Potter?"

Harry stood and walked over to Draco, and said clearly so that Malfoy would hear him, "I won't be anything less than your equal." Then, being driven by some unknown emotion, Harry reached forward and grasped Draco's hand and shook it. 

Draco held on to Harry's hand a moment longer than necessary, "Never."

"I guess it doesn't take a troll to help create the most unlikely friendship." Harry commented thoughtfully.

"…A troll?" Draco asked frightfully.

"It's a long story – and it's not really mine to tell." Harry said sadly. "If this is my party I should be able to invite anyone I want, right?"

"If you're thinking of inviting Weasley and Granger, then you're out of your mind."

"Why can't I? They're my friends." Harry said stubbornly. "If they really want my loyalty then I have to be allowed to keep my friends."

"If you invite either of them here they'll be dead in a moment," Draco sneered.

"Why? …Because they don't believe in the 'cause'? I don't exactly believe in it and I'm still alive."

"That's because you're Lord Voldemort's grandson! Remove your head from your ass, Potter; I'm trying to help you. You aren't taking these people seriously enough. One order from their master and your friends would be dead."

"So I'll request an audience with Voldemort and ask him to put my friends on the 'do not kill' list." Harry said stubbornly.

"Oh yes – I can see that meeting going well. 'Lord Voldemort… I was wondering if I could invite my Muggle-loving and Mudblood friends over. No? You don't think that human sacrifice is appropriate at this type of party, but you promise to let me know when the next Death Eater meeting is.'"

"Don't call her a Mudblood! If it weren't for Hermione, I'd be dead."

"She's inferior," Draco said quietly.

"No she isn't! She's the top of our class and the most brilliant witch I've ever met." Harry said fiercely.

"No one has ever explained to you what it means to be a wizard, have they?" Draco asked in astonishment. "We're not just Muggles with powers, you know – we're much more than that. We are superior beings and we even offered them a chance to coexist as our servants and they refused. So we broke away and created a better world, a wizarding world. We don't just do magic tricks Potter – we control life and death to such an extent that we should be immortal, but we're not. You know why that is? …Bad blood. We mixed with _them_ and we lost some of our powers. The sorcerers of our past were immortal, as we were meant to be, until we punished ourselves by screwing Muggles. And the Gods took our powers away for doing it. Why do you think that we have squibs and Mudbloods now – we are being punished, the Mudbloods especially. They have to leave the world they grew up in and enter our where they'll never reach our full potential. Lord Voldemort has a vision, Potter, – one where we as the superiors, finally take our place at the head of the life cycle. We won't kill all the Muggles of course – just the ones who speak out. It isn't anything but a new government, and hopefully by finally proving that we are worthy of leading the world we can gain our lost powers back. Potter… we can become immortal."

"And what will happen to Hermione?" Harry asked swallowing hard.

"What she doesn't have in innate magic she makes up for in intelligence. Maybe they'll make an exception for her if she marries into a pureblood family."

"Do you think that if she agreed to that that they would treat her as an equal?" Harry asked, his mood brightening a bit.

"Anything is possible – I suppose it depends on what family she married into." 

"Then she should come to this party, right? She should make the right contacts now before it's too late." Harry said quietly not realizing that he was speaking as though the dark side was going to win the war.

"That is what Granger's own party would be for." Draco said evenly.

"But she won't have one, right? 'Cause her parents are Muggles and they don't have any connections. If she came then I could choose her as my partner and she'd be alright." Harry said, forming a plan in his mind… not noticing the look of pure hurt that passed over Draco's face.

"I didn't realize that you felt that way towards the Mudblood."

"I don't," Harry said offhandedly, not bothering to correct Draco on the use of the word Mudblood. This time Harry did notice the relief cross Draco's face. Harry, coming to a decision, asked the question that had been on his mind since Draco had traced patterns on his skin in bed. "…Why?"

Draco didn't need Harry to explain what he meant. "You're loyal to your friends, attracted to danger, the best Quidditch player that I've seen and you're sexy as hell."

"Oh," Harry said quietly – trying to figure out why Malfoy calling him sexy didn't repulse him as much as it should have. 

"Is keeping Granger safe that important to you?" Draco asked suddenly.

"Yes," Harry said firmly.

"Then stay away from her. Tell her not to draw any attention to herself… tell her to leave the country."

"Tell her to run?" Harry sneered.

"I'm trying to help you, Potter. The only way to keep her safe is to keep her quiet."

"I refuse to tell my friends to leave England." 

"Then don't tell them, Potter, do whatever you want – but if you want to guarantee their safety then you'll tell them not to draw any negative attention to themselves." Draco rubbed his temple; just talking to Harry about keeping Granger safe was giving him a headache. "You had better get dressed… the guests will be arriving in an hour."

"Fine then leave… I'm not going to change in front of you." Harry said stubbornly.

Draco smirked and walked over to the wardrobe. He pulled out a package and left to change in the bathroom down the hall. 

Thirty minutes later Harry was trying and failing, to his irritation and to the mirror's amusement, to get his hair into some semblance of order. So when a firm knock could be heard from the other side of the door, he paid it no attention.

A minute later someone knocked twice. 

Harry threw the comb he was using onto the dresser, stalked over to the door and pulled it open with such a great force that the wood shock on its hinges. 

"I'm not ready yet –." Harry practically growled before he realized that it was his godfather and Narcissa who were standing in the door. Ignoring Sirius completely he turned to Narcissa, "Draco isn't here, Mrs. Malfoy… is there something that I can help you with?"

Narcissa glanced at Sirius briefly before answering, "Actually I was sent by Draco who seemed to think that you might require some help with your hair."

"I keep trying to tell him that it is a fruitless effort…" The mirror said sadly. 

Harry turned around and glared at the mirror, daring it to say more. When it remained silent Harry stepped away from the doorframe to allow Narcissa access to the room. Once she was inside Harry went to shut the door in Sirius' face – only to find his foot in the way. 

Harry scowled. "Is there something that you need?"

Sirius stepped inside of the room and closed the door behind him. "I thought we might be able to talk."

"I would love to talk, but I am in the middle of something." Harry said in a falsely sympathetic voice, and turned back to look at Narcissa.

"I need to make you understand –." 

"I don't want to understand why you would do this. I don't want to know why you would lie to your best friends for years. I don't want to know why you think that your reasons for joining the Death Eaters are more important or excusable than anyone else's. The point is that you lied, to me, to Ron, and to Hermione. Hermione trusts you, you know? And all this time you were thinking of ways to kill her." Harry gave Sirius the most disgusted look he could muster and he walked over to Narcissa who was standing near the dresser. 

"The problem is that it just refuses to lie flat." Harry said staring into the mirror then looking back at Narcissa who looked completely lost. "My hair refuses to stay flat," Harry clarified.

She looked astonished that Harry could ignore Sirius. "Well… um…."

Sirius growled suddenly and pointed his wand at the door. Harry watched impassively as he coated the door with wards, including one that wouldn't let Harry out of the room.

Sirius turned back toward Harry. "I've been very lenient with you, Harry. It must be hard to have your whole world turned completely upside down… and I'm sorry that I wasn't there from the beginning, that I couldn't be a real parent. I'm sorry that I didn't turn to Jennifer when everything happened, I'm sorry that I went after Pettigrew. But I'm not going to sit back while you kick me out of your life without giving me so much as a chance for explanations. I'm not making excuses about being a Death Eater – it's what I am, and I'm also your godfather."

"You're only my godfather because my parents thought that you were on our side." Harry said roughly.

Sirius laughed; it wasn't a pleasant sound. "Your father knew, Harry… he knew that I worked for Lord Voldemort, of course he never said as much, but he knew that I disappeared from the school three times a year. He saw me clutch my arm in pain. But he also knew where my loyalties laid. He knew that if anything happened that I would die for him, and for Lily and for you. I believed in Lord Voldemort's cause but I was loyal to James above everyone else. I don't know if he knew about Pettigrew or Remus but he knew that I wore Voldemort's mark. I didn't know Voldemort's plans to go to Godric's Hollow on Halloween, had he told me I would have tried putting a stop to it… I suppose that is why he didn't tell me. I didn't know that Peter would betray James; in fact I believed that he wouldn't be able to. We had made a wizarding pact many years ago, the four of us, which stated that harm would come to whoever broke it. 

"I don't know how Peter wormed his way out of a wizarding pact… but it doesn't matter. In the course of two days I lost everything, my friends and my freedom. At first I refused to go crawling to Dumbledore… he would force me to tell him things that I couldn't; secrets that weren't mine to tell. So I went after Peter. I wanted to kill him for killing James and Lily, I won't lie about that. And when Peter shouted for the entire street to hear that I had betrayed Lily and James, my chances of staying under Dumbledore's care and having him believe that I was loyal to him were squashed. I was shipped off to Azkaban for twelve years. "

"And then you showed up at Hogwarts." Harry said quietly. "You convinced Hermione and Ron and me that you were innocent and we convinced Dumbledore. You're back in Dumbledore's good graces because of me."

"Yes. Remus and I had it planned, it is a lesser known fact that he had come to visit me that year as well – right after Fudge. I told him that Pettigrew was at Hogwarts and that he was masquerading as a rat. Remus said that he would apply for the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher and I would escape from Azkaban. There was no point in doing it sooner… we didn't have any proof of Peter's whereabouts."

"The whole time Professor Lupin…." Harry said faintly.

"Yes, from the beginning. On Halloween he was supposed to make sure that Pettigrew stayed in the common room and he did, but that portrait refused to let me in without a password – it wasn't always like that. Back in our days we could sweet talk our way into any portrait-guarded room… Dumbledore had increased security since my break from Azkaban. Then Remus came to me with another plan… and this one was perfect. He had heard that Buckbeak was having an appeal… and that it was fixed so that the hippogriff was going to die. He also had gotten the map from you by then and he knew that Peter was alive and living inside Hagrid's cabinet. It was a perfect plan… we knew that you would go down to see Hagrid so Remus went down the night before and trapped Peter in a milk jug. And I waited outside… I thought it might be hard to find you under the Invisibility Cloak but that was solved when Ron came running out from under it. Remus was sitting at his desk watching it all on the map, he was waiting for the right moment – but he made one crucial mistake. He forgot to wipe the map.

"Had everything gone as planned, I would have been a free man and Remus and I would be free to seek out Lord Voldemort - It didn't hurt that Peter would also pay for handing Lily and James their deaths.

"Remus never forgot about the full moon. It was a last ditch effort in order to save me from the Dementor's Kiss. Unfortunately we lost Peter that night as well, and you know the rest from there." Sirius said taking a deep breath.

"It was all an act – that night at the Shrieking Shack, all of it then? Professor Lupin thinking that you were a traitor… the way he pretended that he didn't know how you escaped from Azkaban?" Harry asked evenly. 

"Yes it was… but I still would have died for you, Harry."

Harry ignored him. "Why didn't Lupin look for Voldemort after he was fired then? And if he knew it was the full moon then how was he supposed to help you in wolf form?"

"Remus couldn't go alone… he was too weak after the year at Hogwarts… we were supposed to go together but after everything that happened Dumbledore kept close tabs on me… he would have known if I had gone in search of Voldemort. And in answer to your second question – he wouldn't have transformed. He didn't most of the time; when he was at home he would use magic in order to stop the cycle… It wouldn't cure him but he wouldn't have to go through the painful transformation."

"He would use Dark magic?" Harry asked.

"Yeah… but he couldn't do that under Dumbledore's nose so he went through the transformation… that was why he was too weak to seek out Voldemort on his own."

"Dumbledore would have noticed that it was the full moon and that Remus hadn't changed that night." 

"Probably but we were willing to explain how he did that." 

"I don't understand why you didn't just explain it to me before."

"And you would have understood? When was I supposed to tell you? Should I have told you in a letter, through the Floo network… in front of your friends?"

Sirius did have a point… they never really did have a chance to speak alone for a long period of time. 

"Harry you have to believe me when I tell you that I will never let any harm come to you. Even if Lord Voldemort and Jennifer decided tomorrow that they wanted to kill you again… even if Dumbledore decided that he wanted you dead."

Harry looked at Sirius sharply. "Would he do that?"

Sirius shrugged. "Stranger things have happened."

Harry shook his head in an attempt to clear it from all of the things that he had just learned, but he couldn't find fault in any of what Sirius said, except…. "How can you hate Hermione?"

Sirius looked surprised. "I don't hate Hermione."

Harry sighed impatiently. "But you think that Muggle-borns shouldn't be allowed to learn magic?"

Sirius hesitated, "I also think that Hermione is the exception to that rule. She has adapted so well to the wizarding society that I can't help but think of her as a witch. And she knows so much about our culture it's like she was raised as a witch as well."

"Then what about me?" Harry asked bitterly. "I was raised as a Muggle… and I don't know nearly enough about the wizarding world as she does. I didn't know anything about this introduction and I didn't even know that we aren't prejudiced against same sex couples. What else don't I know?"

Sirius leaned over and grabbed Harry's chin forcing Harry to look at him. "It is my fault that you don't know any of that… and it is a mistake that I plan to fix. I am supposed to spend the summer looking for you… but since I've already found you I thought I might spend it being a godfather."

"Draco says that Muggle-borns don't have as much magic as we do… is that true?" Harry asked.

Sirius let go of Harry and sighed. "Yes it is true… Hermione will never reach your full potential… though I don't think that anyone else will. You are very powerful, Harry… with some training you could become the most powerful wizard of our age. Hermione… has the potential to become as powerful as Dumbledore… I've felt it. That is why I believe her to be the exception to the rule… and even if she wasn't that powerful I still wouldn't hate her. There is just something about her that draws you to her."

Harry feeling a little more at ease said: "It could be S.P.E.W."

"Do I want to know what spew is?" Sirius asked thoughtfully.

"…Considering everything… you probably wouldn't."

"Uh uh… now I'm interested… come on what is 'spew'?" Sirius said with a look of mischief in his eyes.

Harry relented. "…Alright, I'll tell you - but only if you promise that you won't try to hurt her for a Muggle idea."

"I've already told you that I wouldn't hurt her." 

"Yeah I know and against all known logic I believe you." Harry said quietly. 

"We're all right then?" Sirius asked uncertainly.

"Yeah… but if you have any more important secrets then I think that you should tell me now." 

Sirius exchanged a look with Narcissa, and it didn't go unnoticed by Harry. 

He looked back and forth between Narcissa and Sirius. "What is it?" Harry asked when it became clear that neither of them were going to say anything.

Sirius massaged the bridge of his nose and asked in a tight voice, "What do you consider important?"

"…Anything that has the potential of changing my life."

Sirius winced, "Well there is one thing… but it's over now."

This time Narcissa winced. 

Harry looked back and forth between them before he realized something. "You two didn't used to date, did you?" He asked in bewilderment.

Sirius offered Harry a weak smile. "You might say that."

"What else might I say?" Harry said tightly.

"Harry… Sirius, Lucius and I were together for several years before Azkaban." Narcissa said quietly.

Harry whipped his attention over to her. "You were _what_? Is _that normal too?"_

Sirius had the grace to blush. "Not really… I mean it does happen once or twice a century… legally that is."

"So the three of you are married?" Harry asked confused.

"No we aren't married." Sirius said softly.

"Oh… oh," Harry looked at Sirius sadly for a moment. Then he turned to glare at Narcissa who gasped in surprise at the emotion there. "Is my godfather not good enough for the almighty Malfoys?"

Narcissa was on the verge of tears. "Of course he is good enough… Harry, you don't understand… I don't even understand all of it."

"So it's Mr. Malfoy who hurt Sirius then? Is that the reason you didn't come back here, Sirius, is that the reason you lived off of rats? Was it because of him?"

"You lived off of rats?" Narcissa said, tears finally spilling over. "That is it! I'm divorcing Lucius… I am sick and tired of his holier than thou attitude. If he can't fix things then I refuse –…" 

Sirius grabbed Narcissa and held her while she began to sob.

Harry took down the wards that Sirius had put up with a surprising ease – he figured that Sirius must not have really been trying too hard to keep him in the room when he put them up. Harry slipped out of the room and into the hallway where an irritated Draco Malfoy was waiting on the other side. 

"Why couldn't I get into our rooms?" He asked annoyed.

Harry shrugged, "Sirius had them warded. Did you know that he and your parents were dating?" Harry accused.  

Draco's eyes widened in shock, "THEY WHAT!"

Harry was extremely pleased with Draco's reaction. It felt good to know that someone else was out of the loop as well. "Yep… are you ready? I have a party to go to." Harry said steering Draco away from their room.

Draco was staring at the door, doing an accurate impression of a fish out of water. 

"By the way… I like these dress robes better than the ones that you wore at the Yule ball. They make you look older." Harry said suddenly feeling that all was right with the world.

Draco snapped his mouth shut and gave Harry an award-winning smile. "Of course they do. They're made out of silk you know… and the shoes are Italian leather… do you like my shoes?"

The corners of Harry's mouth twitched into a smile. "Of course… it wouldn't be complete without the shoes."

Draco looked as though his birthday had come early. "And your robes look nice as well…" He said almost as an afterthought. "Of course your hair…." He clicked disapprovingly. 

"Yes… I heard you sent your mother to fix it."

"Yes I did… did she not make it to our room?"

"No she did… she is still in there with Sirius." Harry said indifferently.

Draco's eyes widened and he moved to run back in the direction of their room but Harry kept a firm hold on his arm. "We can't go back now… we'll be late."

"But my mother… and Sirius Black…." Draco said incoherently.

Harry nodded happily, taking comfort in Draco's discomfort. "Don't forget about your father…."

Draco looked as though he were going to be sick.

Harry and Draco stood waiting outside of the ballroom entrance, where they had been for the last several minutes. Draco raised his hand to reach for the door handle but Harry knocked it away – for the twelfth time. "You do realize that you have to go in there at some point tonight?"

"Of course I realize that." Harry snapped. 

"Well you know what they say? There is no time like the present…."

"I'm sure that whoever says that is not preparing to walk into a room of people who used to want him dead to discuss his plans for the future."

"Where is that Gryffindor courage?" Draco sneered.

"I think that I left it in the Gryffindor common room… if you'd like I can go back to Hogwarts and get it."

"Fine… stay out here and lurk. I'm going to join the party." Draco reached for the door, and unsurprisingly Harry knocked his hand out of the way again.

"Don't leave me out here," Harry hissed. "And I don't lurk."

"You are being completely unreasonable, Potter. I did not dress in leather boots so that I could stand in an empty corridor with you. Besides I need to have a lengthy discussion with my father."

Harry's eyes dashed back and forth along the corridor. "Do you really think that it is empty?"

"What?" Draco asked in exasperation.

"The corridor, do you really think that it is empty? I thought I heard something –."

Draco took advantage of Harry's moment of distraction and he opened the French doors of the ballroom. 

Harry steeled himself and allowed Draco to drag him into the hall without looking like a prat. He leaned over and whispered into Draco's ear. "I hate you."

Draco leaned over and whispered back, "I'd be disappointed if you didn't." He steered them over to Lucius Malfoy who was trying his best to look welcoming when it was blatantly obvious that he despised Harry. 

Harry looked over at Lucius' right, trying very hard to ignore the still silence of the hall – despite it being filed with hundreds of people. There was a blond haired man on Lucius' right, Harry was sure he had never seen this man before in his life and yet no one felt the need to introduce Harry to him.

Feeling like an utter idiot he reached forward and extended his hand to the stranger. "I'm Harry Potter…."

The man turned to Harry and took his hand hesitantly while the crowd waited with bated breath. "I do believe we have already met Mr. Potter. My name is Lord Voldemort… but you may call me Grandfather."

Harry's eyes widened in shock… it was true that he hadn't run into Voldemort since the night that he had arrived but still that was only a week ago. Could someone really change so drastically in such a short amount of time? Harry got his answer when he looked into the stranger's eyes – they were the color of blood.

Harry dropped the hand as though it had burned him… and he found himself wondering why it didn't. Voldemort's touch, his very _presence_, was supposed to make his head feel like it were about to explode. And while his touch had caused Harry pain his first night there – that had been it. 

"Why doesn't it…?" Harry asked quietly.

"…Feel like I've driven thousands of tiny red hot knives through your skull?" Voldemort supplied almost sinisterly. "At first Jennifer thought it prudent to cast a spell on the room that we had gathered in… it would numb the pain – unless I had touched you… but now…. I've regained most of my powers back and I believe now that I no longer need the strength I was gaining from our connection… that my side has closed itself. I think that you will find that magic comes easier to you now than it had before… now that you are no longer sharing it with me."

"_I WAS SHARING MY MAGIC WITH YOU?" Harry hissed angrily, not noticing that it had come out in Parseltongue._

Voldemort regarded him curiously realizing that Harry wasn't aware of that he had switched languages. He glanced over at the crowd of people who were staring at Harry in fear. 'Good,' Voldemort thought, 'they should fear him… for he will be more powerful than any of us could ever imagine. And with him on my side we will finally regain order.'

Harry closed his eyes when he realized that he had spoken snake language in front of a hall full of people involved in the Dark Arts. First I introduce myself to Voldemort then I start to speak his language… I wonder what else I can do to ensure that I am seen as a complete idiot….

Narcissa and Sirius appeared in the hall, dressed in what looked to be the most expensive robes in the hall (next to Voldemort of course, whose robes looked to Harry as though they were made of imported Chinese silk), and a few moments later the introductions started.

Then Jennifer entered… and she looked like a goddess. She wasn't dressed in robes… she was wearing a gown made of the softest looking material that Harry had ever seen – the sleeves were made out of silver silk and gathered at the top of her shoulders. The dress was low cut… the hem was elegant – not too conservative but not too revealing. 

But it was the actual dress that made one want to bow at her feet. It was a deep emerald green, and it was laced down the front with silver thread crisscrossed over the beige bodice of the shirt. She had a silk cloak, the same color as the dress, clasped at her neck with a silver snake. The cloak fell off her shoulders to reveal the front of the dress but when she turned her back to Harry it touched the ground.

She was wearing thin heeled sandals made of the finest silver leather and her hair was curled and tied loosely at the top of her head so that some of the dark red curls escaped the enclosure and fell to her neckline. 

Harry couldn't help but feel like she was about to pull out her wand and send them all to Hell.

She may, or may not, have been fooling the guests, but she wasn't fooling Harry. It didn't matter what she looked like, she was dangerous, and more than a little versed in the Dark Arts. Harry could feel it, and he supposed it was a lot like a Veela trance.  

The hall was silent and the only thing that Harry could hear were the compliments when Jennifer went around greeting everyone leaving Harry last. 

"I give you my grandson, Harry Potter." She said clearly. "May you help him where I can not?"

After that each person came to Harry separately and formally introduced themselves, in front of Jennifer – who stood to Harry's right, and Voldemort – who stood to Harry's left. They explained their line of business and offered their services whenever Harry felt he might need them.

When the night was almost through Harry thought he might collapse from trying to remember what everyone did and who everyone was. He had met Ministry members, Vampire hunters (for sport – their fangs were used for a number of illegal potions), shop owners, teachers (not from Hogwarts), thieves – apparently the best in their profession, if you needed it they got it, spell writers, and he even met a Potions mistress. 

Just when he thought the party was coming to a close Jennifer leaned over and whispered something in his ear. Harry, thinking that she was asking if he was ready to meet with another person, nodded at whatever she had said to him. 

A moment later Jennifer had a glass of champagne in her hand and it was raised in the air as though she were preparing to make a toast. Everyone in the room had their eyes fixed on her.

"I do realize that this is the moment that most of you have been waiting for. Harry has given me consent…" She briefly looked at Harry who was trying to remember exactly what he had given consent for.   

Draco's eyes flashed from Harry's to Jennifer's again.

"… To announce his chosen partner…"

Harry thought he would have remembered giving her approval to do something like _that. Draco met his eyes and he smiled painfully, knowing what was next._

"…Draco Malfoy." Jennifer said in delight. Then she motioned for Harry and Draco to join her side.

Harry walked toward her numbly all the while thinking that he had finally gotten his answer. This definitely qualified as idiotic.

When Draco and Harry reached Jennifer's side she motioned for them to carry on and Harry had the worst feeling of trepidation forming in his stomach. 

"I didn't – I mean… that is. I never told you…." Harry whispered into Jennifer's ear. Jennifer ignored him, except to take his hand in hers and give it a painful squeeze. 

Draco leaned forward and whispered, "We have to kiss now, Harry…."

Harry closed his eyes painfully and he could feel Draco leaning forward…

… And then the French doors to the ballroom were slammed open and Harry and Draco (along with the rest of the people) turned to see who it was.

"… Lupin…!" Harry cried in delight, his favorite teacher couldn't have chosen a better moment to appear. 

Remus Lupin didn't appear to be happy, nor did he acknowledge Harry, as he strode up to Voldemort, who was standing quite near Harry.

"What is it, Remus? You do realize that you are extremely late." Voldemort said impatiently.

"I'm terribly sorry, my Lord… but something has happened." Lupin looked sideways at Harry, "Perhaps we should discuss it in private?"

"Remus, you have already interrupted us… if something has happened then I suggest you tell me now."

Lupin sent another look in Harry's direction and leaned closer to Voldemort speaking in quiet tones. But Harry heard him, and the words made his knees feel weak.

"My Lord, there was an accident. Dumbledore had sent us all on errands this past summer… and one of them went terribly wrong. Hagrid and the Headmistress of Beauxbatons were sent to contact the giants and we just received word that they were killed. The giants won't be joining Dumbledore's side… now would be the time to –."

Harry stopped listening to the rest. Draco moved to support Harry, who shrugged him away. "No… no," Harry whispered.

Draco was trying to offer his condolences but Harry didn't hear any of it. 

Hagrid was dead.

His first real friend, the man who had rescued him from the Dursley's was dead.

And Dumbledore sent him there. 

Dumbledore had sent Hagrid on this mission, and he had known the risks. Harry remembered that Hagrid was excited about the trip. 

Hagrid hadn't deserved to die!

Harry felt the most deep seated hatred that he had ever felt. He hadn't felt this way when he'd found out that his parents were murdered and he hadn't felt this way when he had thought that Sirius Black had betrayed his parents. And it was directed toward Albus Dumbledore… he was going to pay.

To the amazement of the guests the ballroom started to shake. When they looked around to locate the source what they saw would be forever imprinted in their minds.

Harry Potter was floating three feet above the ground.

Harry looked around at the guests, who were all staring at him fearfully, and he let out a short, cold laugh that sent chills down even Draco's spine. Remus' words were echoing through his mind and the more Harry listened to it, the more he heard the words 'we just received word that they were killed….' The higher he rose off the floor. He was fifteen feet off the floor when he realized that he could no longer see any of the guests. His vision was completely caked over. 

In fact all Harry could see, no matter which way he turned or how many times he blinked, was red. 

Author's note: Here it is… chapter four. If the ideas that I have introduced to you are a bit too radical I just want to remind you that this is a Mystery. The next chapter will be out sooner than this one. Thank you to everyone who reviewed.

PeachDancer82:  The ending is going to be a little complicated. 

Death: I hope this chapter answered your review.

Croc: Thank you! 

Bad-ass-Cinderella

Malfoy Snogger: I don't know how to respond to your review without giving away most of the plot! I'm glad you think that Harry's believable; it was hard to think of a way to get them together, and one that hadn't been done ten times over. 

Shinigami: Sirius and Lucius had a fight the night before James and Lily died. They won't tell me what happened yet, but I have an idea. Getting Harry back to Hogwarts will be difficult!

Black*Plague: I'm sorry this took so long, I hope that the length helps make up for it.

Coriander: Thanks.

Bubblebabe: I can't tell you! …Mostly because I haven't written that section yet and it might change.

Someonesgurl

Malfoy Angel

HPIceAngel: The slash will come soon!

Anonymous: Even if Harry didn't have the baby he wouldn't have to be a Death Eater. Thank you for reviewing.

She-Who-Is-Not-To-Be-Psyc: I promise that we'll see a different view of Dumbledore when Harry goes back to Hogwarts. I don't think that he is evil and he won't be in this story, unless Jennifer, Voldemort, or one of the Death Eaters is talking about him. You might be a little confused, considering I just said that Harry wanted to kill Dumbledore, but wait for the next chapter – I don't think that Harry will feel that way for long. He's grieving – It's a process. Draco won't _actually_ change. He is just trying to show Harry that he can be nice to him. And I am out of my mind, but only on days that end in 'y'!

ShaeLynn: All flames will be sent by direct owl to you! 

Grrrinning Golden Retriever: Remus makes his glorious appearance at the end of this chapter, I haven't finished the fifth chapter yet but I am almost certain that he will have a larger role. The angst will stop when they are back together.

Kinetic 44: I think that I answered most of your questions in this chapter. More will probably be answered when Remus talks to Harry.

Madkornfan: Thank you and yes Remus will be in this fic. 

Tess

Xirleb70: But I'm sure that the homework will be back for another round! 

Kathi C: That's okay, in the first draft of this I wrote that Harry grabbed Draco's arm in a handshake… Thank the gods for Moonchild. 

Frizzy: Thank you! Yes, I know, sometimes I have to pinch myself when I get the reviews to a chapter. I never expected it to get this kind of response! Besides your one to talk... how many reviews does Magnetic Attraction have these days?! (I love that story)

Wild Kat

Jay

Misha: You know your review just gave me an idea for a chapter! I'm not sure when it would fit in the story line though. 

Thank you to everyone who reviewed and I'm really sorry if I missed anyone!


	5. Contracts

Disclaimer: Harry Potter does not belong to me. It belongs to the wonderful people at Warner Brothers and Bloomsburg and Scholastic and of course J K Rowling. 

Summary: Harry Potter's life is about to change forever when he finds out the truth about his mother and makes a decision that can and will effect the entire wizarding world. TR/OC HP/DM and various other pairings.

Warning: This is Slash, which means two guys in a relationship in case you didn't know. This story will have other plot lines but if this bothers you then leave now. This will also be MPreg, which means that a male character will become pregnant. While I don't plan on going into intense detail this is an element of the story and if this bothers you than you should also stay away.

Authors note: This is my second attempt at fan fiction and my first attempt at slash. Criticism is welcome but if you plan on giving me a review about how wrong male/male relationships are and that is the only problem that you have with the story then please don't write the review. I have given you fair warning about the nature of this fic. SLASH and MPREG. 

***

Chapter five: Contracts

Draco sighed as the fire in front of him cracked once more, this time its flame diminishing into an unrecognizable glow of the burning deadly blaze that it once had been. It was late into the night, he knew, not due to the Grandfather clock that stood opposite of the hearth, but from coolness of the room. From the way the flames seemed unable to warm him anymore. He glanced at the doorway that led to the living room for what seemed like the hundredth time that night. 

He'd forgotten what it was like to lose something that had been a large part of him… or maybe he just hadn't known what it was like to begin with. 

He knew what it was like now. He could feel the loss inside of him, beating in tune with his heart. Every beat reminding him…. Who would have thought that Harry Potter would be the one waiting to comfort him after these past few insane days? 

When he turned back to look at the doorway for the one hundred and first time, it was with the memory of the first time he had seen Harry – in a robe shop looking quite nervous and almost in awe of everything around him… like he expected it to all be taken away from him any moment. He saw that boy's face light up when a giant of a man stood in the shop window holding two ice creams dripping under the heat of the sun. 

Twenty feet away from him he saw a much older version of that boy leaning against the frame of a French door, looking troubled and weak.

Draco knew what Harry was going to say before he opened his mouth. 

The words seemed to cut into him, like a knife in his gut. 

***

It was two days after what Draco had dubbed 'the-incident-that-will-be-discussed-at-Dark-Revels-for-decades' when Harry had finally come out of their room. Draco felt this was a good sign – he was forgetting about that oaf's death and moving on with his life. Though still, under the circumstances, inviting Harry to dinner with Lord Voldemort probably wasn't the most cunning idea that Draco ever had. But Harry had barely eaten a thing all day and he was finally out of his room, roaming around the empty corridors, and Draco felt that a good meal would help fix something… if only to get rid of that sallow look that Harry's skin had taken on. 

Unfortunately Wormtail also seemed to feel that dinner with Lord Voldemort was a good idea. Harry had gotten, perhaps, a little out of control at the sight of the person who had helped to murder his parents…. 

Draco did think that those boils had been a tad juvenile. It was certainly a good thing that Wormtail was supposed to be dead… no man or woman would touch him with that on his…, Draco shuddered. 

And even though dinner had gotten off to a bad start Harry had asked to be shown where the library was located, so Draco knew that he must be feeling better – after all who would want to start studying so early into vacation. 

Though he did find it… suspicious… when the Dark Lord kept trying to catch Jennifer's eye while she went on and on about the different resources that were available to her, and now to Harry as her heir. 

Harry managed a weak smile and asked her if he might be able to start looking over the materials right away, and Draco couldn't blame him. Given the slightest chance to escape that boring conversation, he, too, would have rather spent an evening in a musty old library. 

Only Harry never made it back to their room that night. And in the morning when Draco cancelled his wake-me-now charm, there was no sign that Harry had been there at all the night before. 

Shaking off the strangest feeling of trepidation, he threw on his robe and brushed his white blonde hair giving his reflection a final wink. 

"Who's the special person?" The mirror asked noisily.

Draco ignored the mirror and closed the door firmly behind him before trying to remember what he had overheard Jennifer say the night before. 

_"So – where is the library?" Harry had asked timidly._

_"Oh! Well… if you take the staircase to the left and walk past three portraits there should be a tapestry full of…"_

'Full of what?' Draco thought impatiently. He'd noticed, a few days ago when he had been exploring the manor, that there were about a hundred tapestries all over the manor and at least three of them were with pictures of books. And he was pretty sure that none of them could be reached by using the staircase to the left of the dinning room.

Well, he was sure of one thing – he definitely was not going to spend his entire day waiting for a house elf to show up (or until lunch when they made their regular checks on Harry and him). Normally in his own house, he would just summon one using his wand – the Ministry's underage wards didn't reach his house thanks to his father – but, he was in another person's home and servants only obeyed their masters directly unless told otherwise. In fact if Jennifer or Lord Voldemort wanted, they could stop elves from visiting Harry and himself all together. 

Of course there was the second option. He could seek Jennifer out and ask her for directions… only he had heard her mention an important meeting she was holding sometime this morning, during dinner the night before, and even Draco didn't have the guts to interrupt _that_ for a simple question. …Especially when he could figure out the answer himself. Asking the Dark Lord, the person Draco had been brought up to fear and respect, never entered his mind. 

Irritably, Draco looked around for something to help him find his way, but the hallway was void of portraits and tapestries, in fact the only real decoration was a small fountain at the end of the hallway, partially blocking the sunlight from the window behind it. It was carved into the image of an owl in mid flight, the water was pouring from the scroll clutched in its claws to the round pit below it, and Draco recognized the structure as a Magical Messenger – there were several of them laying wait in Malfoy manor. He walked toward the messenger quickly and reached forward and tapped the scroll with his wand before stepping out of the way hastily. He watched with fascination, though he had seen his father do this many times, as the water stopped flowing from the letter and the marble carving sprung to life. Its pearl eyes looked past Draco, and its empty talon was stretched out in front of Draco waiting for instructions.

"I don't have a letter, but I wish for you to lead me to Harry Potter." Draco said. He watched as the stone wings seemed to flap as the owl glided down the hallway. He was so fascinated that he had almost forgotten to follow it, almost, but not quite. 

Draco followed the owl – having to run at times to keep up with it, though the owl did seem to sense when he was unable to keep up with it, because it did slow at times. Finally it led him to a tapestry full of….

"…Cats?" Draco said hoarsely before turning to the now immobile owl and taping the scroll with his wand and watching the statue take off again, this time for its holding space. 

Draco inspected the cloth carefully and sure enough he found one of the cats was sitting unnaturally still, compared to the others who were licking their paws and playing with little balls of string. He reached forward as though to pet the cat and his hand went straight through the material and grasped at a door handle. He turned it to the right and the tapestry glowed for a moment before dissolving into thin air. Behind it there was an open door leading to what Draco hoped was the library. 

He paused for a moment before gathering the air of an aristocrat and storming into the library as though he owned the place… only to find it empty.

Some of the assurance in his posture left him as he glanced at the hidden library. It could have been a beautiful place if it hadn't looked as though no one had set foot in it for several years. 'In fact', Draco thought, 'there is probably a good reason no one has been here.'

The shelves (and there were hundreds of those) were covered in inches of dust. The chandelier looked as though it were living on a prayer and the floor… Draco didn't really want to examine the floor too closely, but curiosity overwhelmed him. He crouched down and ran a finger along the floor and when he felt the dried gooey substance… well, that combined with the reddish black color that desiccated blood tended to take on – he decided to leave well enough alone. 

Draco was just about to abandon the search for Harry altogether when the dust was unsettled and it swept over the shelf closest to him. He turned to sneeze and noticed Harry sitting in one of the cleaner corners of the room completely undaunted by the mess surrounding him. As he bent down to look through the bookshelves, feeling foolish, he even noticed that Harry seemed to be surrounded by books and if his wrinkled robes were anything to go by, he'd been doing this all night. Draco stepped out behind the bookshelf, walked around it and came to a spot three feet away from the piles of parchment strewn about on top of the books. When Harry still didn't look up from his work, or acknowledge his presence in the room at all, he reached down and snatched the piece that Harry was writing on from underneath the quill.

"'Dark Intentions: Not only does it take the skill to perform half of these rituals and spells but in order to complete the spell you have to want that person to end up dead or in the specified amount of pain.'" The writing ended there but Draco had a fair idea what the end of the sentence would have looked like. "I don't remember this being a part of our summer home work. Showing an interest in the Dark Arts now, are we, Potter?"

Harry held out his hand expectantly, and Draco, a little disappointed, placed the parchment in it. He watched as Harry wrote something else down quickly before looking up at Malfoy quizzically. He noticed that Harry's eyes were as they had been for the last few days, red instead of green. It looked wrong.

"My name is Harry." Then he silently went back to his work, selecting a book to his left and flipping through it. 

"Yes, well, my name is Draco, though you continue to call me Malfoy." There was something terribly wrong with Harry. He was frightfully calm for someone who had just lost a good friend. 

"Yeah, but I've never claimed to be infatuated with you." Harry paused, but whether it was for effect or not – Draco didn't know. "I've been thinking about you a lot over these past few days. Do you know what I've been thinking, _Draco?_"

The sound of his name on Harry's lips was intoxicating but he kept a cool expression on his face and answered, "You've been thinking about my good looks and wit, I imagine."

Harry shook his head, finally lifting his eyes to meet Draco's. 

Draco was blown away by the complete malice and hatred shown in his direction. 

"I've been thinking about how completely pathetic you are. Following your father around your whole life, I bet you haven't had an original thought. And it sickens me that you would ever stoop so low as to fall in love with your worst enemy. Do you get off on insults and humiliation, or have I broken your heart _so_ many times over the years?" Harry stood up and stepped over his mountain full of books and began to back Draco into a corner. "Answer me, _Draco_."

His back was against something smooth and cold. Harry hands were on either side of him, and there was only a foot separating their bodies. The control that Harry had over him nearly scared the magic out of him on a normal day, but the way Harry was acting right now – it was enough for him to run any day. "You wouldn't understand."

Harry banged his fist against the surface and the sound of glass breaking was excruciatingly loud. "I didn't ask for your opinion on my chances of winning top scores on my O.W.L.'s this year."

Draco balanced his weight against the wall and pulled his right arm as far back as it could go. When it connected with Harry's jaw there wasn't enough force behind the back handed punch to break it, but he could tell that it would smart in the morning. "A little of both I suppose."

Harry lifted his right hand from the wall and rubbed his face, stretching his jaw painfully. When his hand moved back to its position at the wall Draco noticed an unhealthy amount of blood was smeared across Harry's face. He twisted his head to the left slightly and noticed for the fist time that the wall he was leaning against was built entirely of mirrors and it seemed as though Harry had taken a large chink out of the 'wall'. Draco could almost see through the hole from his place and it looked as though there were another room on the other side… but before he could move to investigate further he noticed that Harry was talking to him again. 

"Is that why you came here? …So that we could fight?" 

'_Actually,'_ Draco wanted to say. _'I was worried about you.'_

"No, Potter, I came here to sing Christmas carols. I've been practicing and I can do a killer 'Silent Night'."

Harry grabbed his hair and yanked his head to right, leaning forward Harry brought his lips to Draco's ear. "My name is Harry." Then Harry's lips were on his, and his hands were still in his hair and it was so wonderful that you could almost feel magic surrounding them, binding them. It was so amazing that when Harry moved to pull away Draco reached forward and grabbed hold of Harry's robes, and Harry lost his balance and crashed into him. Draco's head smacked painfully against the mirror wall but he didn't care because he was _kissing_ Harry. He was so lost in the moment that he didn't notice when Harry stopped kissing him back and he attributed Harry's hand in his hair tightening its grip to desperation – but he didn't think once that it might be anything other than Harry showing Draco that he was enjoying himself….

So it came as quite as surprise when he felt Harry kick him in the shin. So much, so, that he disentangled his hands from Harry's shirt and grabbed his leg cursing. When he finally looked up he noticed that Harry had scrambled back a few feet and collapsed to the floor. Draco watched as the young man buried his face in his lap. He suddenly had this horrible feeling that he'd done something very wrong. 'But that can't be right_,_' Draco thought wildly. 'He _kissed _me. It isn't as though I jumped him.' 

He took a step forward and paused when he noticed that Harry's shoulders were shaking. Draco felt a flare of anger at the sight. 'He had better not be laughing at me, or I'll show him what it means to be a Slytherin.' 

Though, somehow, it didn't look exactly like Harry was suppressing laughter. He couldn't put his finger on it, but there was something about the way he was sitting, with his hands over his knees, that made it look like he was trying to curl into himself – like he was trying to disappear. Happy people didn't usually want to disappear, right? As the shaking calmed a bit he took a few more steps forward until he was almost in front of Harry. 

Uncertainly, Draco moved around to kneel next to Harry, and reached over to place a hand on his back. This seemed to upset him further so Draco snatched his hand back and sat next to the wizard quietly, not having a clue how to rouse him. 

His eyes wandered over to the pile of books several feet away, and welcomed the distraction by trying to make out the titles.

_Necromancy, a beginner's guide._

_Bringing back the dead: what to do when the spell goes wrong._

_Giants, a History of magic._

His eyes snapped Harry, who still hadn't moved a muscle, and suddenly he _understood_. He understood why Harry wanted to spend the night in the library, and why he had been defensive. He knew why Harry had sought out his comfort. Draco didn't really understand why he was so upset, though, when Harry had initiated the kiss, but he wasn't about to call him on it considering that he'd spent all night researching the darkest of the dark arts – things that Draco had only heard of. 

When Harry finally lifted his head, Draco met his eyes in the broken mirror and noticed that at least something had come out of that mess of an afternoon. Harry's green tear filled eyes were asking him for forgiveness. He was Harry Potter, the Boy Who Lived, again – and while Draco didn't know if this were a good thing or not, he welcomed the change. The other side of Harry that he'd just seen, while incredibly arousing, was also very disturbing… and he didn't think either of them was prepared for the pure magic that had surrounded them. All the same he knew that he would never forget the way his name sounded on those lips or the way those lips felt on his. One thing was for sure… nothing was ever going to be the same.

***

Jennifer pushed her wand back underneath her sleeve and turned her attention to Tom and Remus who were trying to usher her out of the room and into the hallway. She took one last look at her grandson and Draco before following them reluctantly. 

Once in the hallway, Tom smiled. "Everything is going exactly the way I planned." 

"Ahem." Jennifer said quietly and Tom amended: "Alright the way _we_ planned." 

She turned to Remus. "Although you could have waited a little longer, I have to congratulate you on your timing."

Remus blushed under her grateful stare. "I do feel a bit sorry for Harry though. I don't think any of us expected this kind of reaction."

"Hmm," Jennifer said noncommittally. "He'll be fine… don't feel sorry at all, Remus. It's just one less person on Dumbledore's side." 

"His death was painful?" Tom asked suddenly. 

"I'd say that it was very painful, my Lord." Lupin said, stonily. He tried not to show any emotion regarding the people he was 'asked' to kill. If he did, if he, for one moment, remembered that Hagrid liked Dragons and a good drink at the bar, or that he had made an… entertaining Care of Magical Creatures Professor – he didn't think he would be able to handle it. 

"Good… I always hated Hagrid – he had absolutely no sense of proper Wizarding decorum." Riddle seemed to be recalling something for a moment or two before he snapped himself out of it. "Dumbledore will believe that the giants killed him?"

"I've planted every bit of evidence myself. The only way he'd know was if he brought Hagrid himself back from the dead."

"Yes, well, I wouldn't put it past the old coot. He's always talking about how wrong the dark arts are – but he doesn't seem to mind using them himself now and again." Jennifer took a deep breath. "Sometimes – sometimes I wish that he had brought Lily back… I thought he might… he was so fond of her." The last part was said in disgust.

Tom moved to put a hand on her shoulder, and then he leaned down to meet her level. "I've already told you I'd kill Dumbledore before the year was out – what more could you possibly want?"

"Everything he's ever taken from me Tom… but you're right, Dumbledore will be dead by Christmas… or he'll wish he was."

Remus stood by quietly, watching their interaction. No one knew of their plan for Dumbledore yet… it had only been mentioned twice, both times vaguely. But Remus knew Jennifer, knew how much she had lost to that man… arranging one of the headmaster's closest friends' death was only the beginning of the destruction she planned to cause. He just hoped that Harry wasn't standing in the middle of the crossfire, because he made a promise to the boy's father – and he'd die before breaking it. Even as he thought this, he knew that Harry was always going to be caught in the crossfire. The werewolf turned his complete attention back to the Dark Lord who was speaking.

"– Christmas Past was always the worst." 

***

Minutes passed before either of them spoke… it was Harry who broke the silence. 

"Did – did you feel that?" His voice shook slightly and Draco could tell that he was angry with himself over it. 

When Draco didn't answer Harry continued. 

"It was…. Is it always like that?"

For a moment Draco didn't really understand the implications of that question and when he did, he nearly choked on his own tongue. "Do you mean – was that your _first_ time?" 

"I'm only fourteen… there isn't anything wrong with that." Harry said, sounding defensive.

"I'd always thought that you and Weasley might have…."

"With Ron! How many other people think that I've done that with Ron? Have you been spreading rumors, Mal – Draco?" 

Draco smiled at the blush that had crept up Harry's neck. "Actually I was talking about the girl – Ginny, right?"

"Right, of course, Ginny, big crush, follows me around – _that_ Weasley." 

Humiliation looked good on the Boy Who Lived. 

"So, um, you didn't answer my question." Harry offered timidly after a few seconds. 

"No I haven't been spreading rumors about you and Ron Weasley." Draco paused for a second. "No, wait, that's a lie. There was the one rumor – but just one, I swear."

Harry looked horrified. "What did you say… who did you spread it to?"

Draco waved a dismissive hand. "I'd heard that Cho Chang was waiting for you to invite her to the Yule ball and I ran into her on the way to class one day…."

If Harry's eyes got any larger, Draco swore, they would fall out of head. He wondered briefly if they made magical eyes in green….

"Tell me that you're joking… you didn't tell Cho that me and Ron were _involved_." Harry said, scandalized. 

"Well, not in so many words." Harry breathed a sigh of relief. "I told her that I'd walked in on you two in the locker room and that you were doing unspeakable things with your –."

Harry groaned. Then he seemed to brighten. "Did you say in the locker room? Ha! She couldn't have believed you. For one – we didn't even have Quidditch last year, and two, _you_ can't even get into the Gryffindor locker room."

Draco shook his head doubtfully. "She didn't seem to think of that. There was the second task thing – I think that's what really helped the rumor."

"She's a Ravenclaw – they're smart!"

"Longbottom's a Gryffindor – they're brave."

Harry ignored that. "Wait… what second task thing?"

"Oh, you know, the whole – we've taken what you'll sorely miss – all of the other champions rescued their girlfriends. You rescued Ron."

"Not Fleur – she rescued her sister." Harry said desperately.

"Yes, but it was her _sister_. And besides not all of Fleur's class was at Hogwarts at the time, and her family was staying in Hogsmeade, so it was chosen from that."

"You've thought way too much about this." Harry said, eyes narrowing. 

Draco shrugged. "It doesn't matter. What does matter is that out of all of Hogwarts Ron Weasley is the one thing that you can't live without."

"That isn't what the rhyme said." Harry said shaking his head wildly; trying to deny that there was anything wrong with missing a friend was one thing, but trying to deny that you wouldn't be able to live without them was another. 

Draco kept talking as though Harry hadn't spoken. "Just look at Weasley – there isn't anything special about him. He doesn't have any money; he isn't particularly good looking, or smart for that matter. People were bound to talk. Besides that Chang girl wasn't good enough for you – her money and looks would have only taken you so far."

Harry frowned. "But you just said –."

Draco jumped to his feet, irritated. "I don't even understand what you see in him anyway!"

Harry looked up from his spot in confusion. "Him? Who?"

Draco ran his fingers through his hair and sighed. "What do you mean?"

Harry raised himself off of the floor, wincing slightly as he stretched out his legs. How long had they been sitting like this? "You just said that you don't understand what I see in _him_. Did you mean Ron? I've already told you that me and Ron are friends."

"Of course you are." Draco said quietly. 

A few minutes passed in silence. Harry brushed off his trousers and walked over to the pile of books that he had been reading from before. Draco watched as he picked them up one by one and proceeded to put them in their correct place.

"Pedem referre," Draco said impatiently, returning his wand back to his pocket. He watched as the books flung themselves in different directions. He hid a smile behind his hand when a copy of _Yesterday and Today: Turning back time_ hit Harry in the head on its way to the shelf. 

"Thanks." Harry offered bitterly, rubbing his head.

Draco shrugged. 

"So," Harry said when it became clear that Draco wasn't going to break the silence. 

Draco started to shuffle his feet back and forth when it occurred to him that it wasn't a very pureblooded thing to do. He was feeling rebellious. Besides, he was sure that Harry wouldn't mind. 

"You aren't going to tell Sirius what I was reading, are you." Harry said quietly, as though it had just occurred to him that his Godfather probably wouldn't agree with his recent reading material. 

"You sit too close to him in potions." Draco exploded a second later.

"Sirius doesn't take potions with us, Draco." Harry said calmly.

"You know who I'm talking about." Draco said angrily. 

"I really don't see how it's any of your business." Harry shot back.

"People are bound to talk." Draco said through gritted teeth.

Harry bristled. "You're the only one I've heard talk about it so far."

"And you spend so much time with him." 

"Friends tend to do that." Harry said, his temper rising. 

"Don't you ever get sick of him?" Draco asked curiously. 

Harry looked at him in amazement. "I can't even talk to you." He walked over to a shelf behind him and picked up a heavy book. Draco watched as he flipped through it. He was even more confused when Harry threw the book down in front of him and stormed out of the library. 

Draco bent down to pick up the book. There was a word circled on the left page. He read it aloud. "A person attached to another by feelings of affection or personal regard." He looked back to the word that it was describing (Friend) and felt a childish anger rise within him. He grabbed the dictionary and headed out of the library, almost absently giving the hole in the mirror one last look. 

If Harry wanted to insult _his_ knowledge then Draco couldn't wait to see the look on his face when he told Harry what their little kiss actually meant. Harry didn't have to know that the contract was reversible….

***

Narcissa sat on the edge of the bed, avoiding Lucius' angry stare – every few minutes he would smooth out the piece of paper in his hand and stare at her before crumpling it up again and resuming his pacing. After a few minutes he finally threw the parchment at her before sitting opposite her. 

"What were you thinking?" Lucius asked, his voice a mixture of betrayal, anger, and heartbreak. 

Narcissa ran her hand across the silk duvet quietly. She tried to strength her resolve; this was something that she had to do.

"Well? Do you have any idea what the press will do with this? Hmm, Narci', what do you think the press will say when they hear that Mrs. Narcissa Malfoy has suddenly decided to divorce her husband." 

"I imagine they'll congratulate me." Narcissa finally answered. "Jennifer says that I should have done it ages ago."

Lucius' mouth twitched in outrage. "She put you up to this, did she?"

Narcissa lifted herself off the bed in one smooth movement. She wandered over to the desk that she had converted into a Vanity her first night at Riddle Manor. Her blond hair fell behind her as she sat down. She reached for the emerald studded brush and began to comb out her hair, something of a nervous habit that she had picked up as a little girl. Barely three strokes of the brush later, and it was violently snatched from her hand and flung at the opposite wall. 

She hardly flinched. Lucius was always one for dramatics; really she felt it was trivial. They both knew that he would never really hurt her. "Jennifer did not 'put me up to this'. If you listened to me, you would know that I have not been happy for a long time."

"This is about _him_, isn't it?" Lucius spat.

Narcissa turned her cool and disapproving eyes on the enraged wizard. "Actually, it is very much about _you_."

"You can't leave me, Narci'. There is Draco to think about." Lucius' voice had taken on a note of desperation. Narcissa loved Draco… if he could make her see that leaving him would hurt their son then surely she wouldn't go. 

"Draco will remain well cared for. My mother has already offered her summer house in Jamaica for me to use until I find a place of my own." 

"You can't take my son to Jamaica, I'll never see him!" He roared. This was getting serious! She couldn't take their son away from him because he couldn't get along with Sirius. That was absurd. 

"I'm sure the ministry would be more than happy to issue a portkey to one of their _upstanding_ citizens once a month. Besides the new school that they opened there is renowned."

"You mean to take Draco out of Hogwarts!"

"Well, of course. There isn't anything left in England for us." Narcissa said, barely containing her tears. 

"What about our Lord?" He asked harshly. That was it! She couldn't leave him while she was still indebted to Lord Voldemort… it just wasn't heard of.

"Jennifer has allowed me leave." Narcissa said calmly. "After Harry goes back to school I am allowed to sever all connections with them. I told her that was preposterous, and that I would continue to serve them both in any way I could – in Jamaica."

Lucius stood in shock, watching as his wife rose from the bench and opened their dresser and dragged her traveling trunk out. He stood, helplessly as she began to pack her belongings inside of it.

"I'll be moving out of our room and into a smaller one down the hall. If you sign the papers you can send them to our lawyer, he'll tie up any loose ends. By signing the agreement you are giving up custody of Draco. I will be his primary caretaker. Due to my lack of suitable employment you are obligated by law to pay monthly alimony – but I'm sure that won't be a problem. I'd appreciate a week's notice before you come to visit Draco." She had packed the few things that she had brought to the manor by the time her speech was over. Narcissa reached into the pocket of her robe and withdrew her wand. A few words later and her trunk was small enough to be placed in her pocket. Without so much as a glance in her soon to be ex-husband's direction she walked toward the door. 

"Lord Voldemort and Jennifer have never allowed anyone to walk away from their service before." Lucius said softly, barely aware of the words that were leaving his mouth. 

"There is a first time for everything, I suppose." Narcissa offered curtly, and Lucius knew that she was hiding something.

"You still love me. I can feel it." Lucius said, his voice shaking slightly.

He watched as she stood completely still, not betraying an ounce of emotion from her stance. "It was never about that. We just need to be apart."

"So then go on vacation for a while, don't file for a divorce. Don't leave me." He sounded weak now, he knew. 

"Goodbye, Lucius." She was out the door, and she didn't look back. 

Lucius looked down at the divorce papers that had found themselves on the floor somehow throughout the commotion. He bent down, his hands shaking violently, to pick it up. A million things filtered through his head, missed chances, reasons for her leaving, thousands of plans to make it better… Sirius. What was it she had said about him? 

A trial – that was how he could fix things with her. He pulled out his wand and set the magical contract on fire. Only one thing left to do.

Lucius cleaned himself up and left a note behind, before leaving the room and walking down the twisting hallways. He finally came to the front door, which he opened. He walked the length of the dirt road until he reached an area outside of the wards. He apparated with only his destination in mind: the entrance to the Ministry of Magic.

***

Draco opened the door to their room roughly. All thoughts of throwing the dictionary in Harry's face were forgotten when he saw Harry lying flat on the bed staring at the ceiling remorsefully. He put the book on their writing desk and closed the door. 

"Do you think he's happy, wherever he is?" Harry asked.

Draco felt something unmentionable go through him. He shrugged it away quickly. "He's probably in the middle of some dragon's nest trying to teach a whole lot of them to read or something." 

Harry smiled weakly. "I feel… almost selfish, because I miss him, especially if he's happy."

"Well, in that case, he's probably burning in a fiery hell pit somewhere."

Harry looked at him sharply before realizing that Draco was joking. Then he sat up and stared at Draco with a strange look in his eyes. "I… liked that... before. I know that I wasn't exactly _me_ – trying to raise Hagrid from the dead, and all, but I really liked it. I –"

"What?" Draco prodded when Harry remained silent. 

"I don't understand it. I don't understand how I can like that when I've never felt that way about another… guy before." Sometime during his speech Harry had leapt off the bed, and had begun to pace.

He did that, sometimes when he was nervous; Draco found it endearing.

"So, you don't understand it… but you like it. What's the problem?"

"The problem, Draco, is that it goes against every single one of my morals!"

Draco shrugged. "So get new morals. There isn't any reason to brood, Harry. I've told you a hundred times, at least, that no one will care if you start to date a man. There will probably be a fuss about you dating a _Malfoy_, though."

"I – I just feel sort of lost, you know, with Hagrid gone, and my Grandfather being a Dark Lord. And then there is this – with you – I'm not sure what it is exactly. Maybe I should talk to Sirius...."

"I still don't see the problem. I like you… you apparently feel some sort of attraction towards me. Both our guardians think a union would benefit them. The only person's blessing we're waiting for is yours." Draco sighed. 

Harry stopped pacing suddenly and whirled in Draco's direction. "I don't even like _you_!"

Ouch, _that_ stung. "Well, maybe they forgot to tell you, but that little kiss we just had – it sealed our betrothal. You're looking at your future husband, so you'd better learn to like me."

Harry stood in front of Draco, jaw down, eyes wide. "I'm sorry – our what?"

Draco gave Harry a crooked grin and walked over to their desk, picked up the dictionary and began shuffling through the pages. Once he had come across the correct page he handed the book to Harry, smirking.

"Betroth: to arrange a marriage of; affiance." Harry read quietly, though Draco was strangely pleased to see his face turning purple.

He merely blinked when Harry threw the dictionary at the wall. He watched dispassionately as it bounced and fell open onto the floor. Draco made a show of rolling his eyes. "Now, really, that was uncalled for."

Harry growled and ran at Draco with his hands spread out in a fashion that left little to the mind about what Harry was intending to do to him. Harry had almost gotten his hands around Draco's throat when the door to their room burst open and his mum and Sirius rushed into the room, looking very distressed. 

Harry released Draco, looking sheepish. 

Neither of the adults noticed. They were both looking at Draco with such intensity he began to feel a growing dread in the pit of his stomach.

Sirius walked over to Harry and began to steer the young man out of the room. His mother's eyes remained transfixed on him. 

Distantly, he could hear Harry ask Sirius what had happened.

"There was an attack at the Ministry." He heard Sirius answer.

"An attack! What do you mean?" Harry was asking. "Mr. Weasley works there. Is he – do you know if he's okay?"

"They closed the Floo system, Harry; we don't know anything right now." Sirius said rubbing his face tiredly. When Harry and Sirius moved closer to the door Draco noticed that Sirius looked every bit the murderous criminal he was rumored to be.

"They? Who is 'they'? The Ministry closed the Floo or the people who were attacking? Who's attacking… it isn't Voldemort, is it!" Harry voice was taking on a hysterical pitch.

"It wasn't the Dark Lord. I don't know who it was." Sirius said quietly, stopping to put a hand on Narcissa's shoulder. 

"What do you mean, 'I don't know'? Someone should Apparate over to the Ministry and find out! Why isn't anyone –?"

"I DON'T KNOW!" Sirius yelled, losing his temper, and interrupting Harry. Narcissa closed her eyes and opened them in time to see Sirius push Harry toward the door. 

Draco locked eyes with his mother, and shook his head, barely registering the sound of the door closing after Harry and Black.

She was clutching a piece of parchment in her hand, and as he looked closely at her, Draco noticed that she'd been crying. 

The feeling of dread encompassed his whole body until all he could do was shake his head in denial.

"Where is father?"

More tears fell down Narcissa's face and she handed him the note. 

He took a few deep breaths before smoothing the paper out (his mother had wrinkled it, clutching it in her hand) and read it silently to himself.

_To whom it may concern,_

_It has come to my attention that there is some urgent business I must attend to. I will be back before _nightfall_, but if anyone needs to contact me I will be at the Ministry._

Draco let the paper flutter to the floor. He heard his mother sniffle and he looked up at her questioningly. 

"He says he'll be back before sunset." 

More tears fell. "The attack happened a few hours ago, Draco. One of our contacts made a Floo call right before it had begun. Jennifer went looking for your father, and she found the note. Your father was in a meeting with Mr. Fudge when it occurred." His mother took a deep, shuddering breath. "They're both missing." Narcissa clung to her wedding ring, which was on a golden chain around her neck. "He's in mortal peril."

Draco sucked in a quick breath. "But he isn't dead." He rushed forward and grabbed Narcissa's arms. He shook her roughly. "HE ISN'T DEAD."

Narcissa pulled her son into a hug. "I don't know – there's just so much pain, Draco, so much…." She grabbed his hand and put the wedding ring inside of it.

Draco snatched his hand back upon contact. It was just too much… pain, suffering. 

He remembered thinking, before he ran out of his room and into the hallway, that no human could withstand that much pain for long.

***

"He's gone, Draco." Harry said quietly, not really sure of how to break the news. "Your mother says that she can't feel him anymore."

He watched as Draco stared into the fire, or what was left of it. "That could mean several things. He could be under stasis, they could have broken his ring, and he could be under a curse."

"He could be dead." Harry said softly.

Draco flinched. "He isn't… he can't be." He turned his lost eyes away from the fire and fixed them on Harry. "He can't be."

Harry watched Draco Malfoy fall apart for the first time that day. The boy didn't cry, he didn't throw things, he didn't yell.

He sat in that chair in front of the grate for two days straight. 

He didn't speak.

*** 

Author's note: I really can't apologies enough for the wait. All I can say is that this chapter gave me a lot of trouble and that I've re-written it several times. Without Moonchild's help this chapter would still be a half finished mess, so I just want to take the time to thank her profusely for her wonderful editing skills and her ideas. Thank you. I'm not going to give up on this story, and I want to thank all of the people who e-mailed me and took an interest in the story's status. If I took the time to reply to everyone's reviews, I'm afraid I would have to wait until tomorrow to upload this chapter so, I'm only going to answer a few questions.

Illucia: The reason why Harry agrees with things has to do with the house. It should be explained in chapter 7. The house kind of makes certain people, well… that would be telling, wouldn't it? J 

Slice: The reason for Voldemort's change in appearance (it wasn't just his hair, because then Harry might have recognized him) will be explained, eventually.

Grrrinning Golden Retriever: Jennifer's identity will be cleared up in the next chapter. 


	6. Moments

Disclaimer: Harry Potter does not belong to me. It belongs to the wonderful people at Warner Brothers and Bloomsburg and Scholastic and of course J K Rowling. 

Summary: Harry Potter's life is about to change forever when he finds out the truth about his mother and makes a decision that can and will effect the entire wizarding world. TR/OC HP/DM and various other pairings.

Warning: This is Slash, which means two guys in a relationship in case you didn't know. This story will have other plot lines but if this bothers you then leave now. This will also be MPreg, which means that a male character will become pregnant. While I don't plan on going into intense detail this is an element of the story and if this bothers you than you should also stay away.

Authors note: This is my second attempt at fan fiction and my first attempt at slash. Criticism is welcome but if you plan on giving me a review about how wrong male/male relationships are and that is the only problem that you have with the story than please don't write the review. I have given you fair warning about the nature of this fic. SLASH and MPREG. 

***

Chapter six: Moments

In a town far away from bars like the Hog's Head and alleys like Diagon, a young woman opened her kitchen window and set about making her breakfast. The sun was shinning and the morning forecast had predicted the good weather to last through the whole weekend. She set herself down at the table and started to flip through the pages of the newspaper when she saw an advertisement and choked on her juice in shock. 

"They're advertising for a teacher in the _paper_?" Chloe, for that was the young woman's name, muttered quietly. She was almost finished buttering her toast when an idea struck her and she dropped everything, sprung from her chair and, in her haste, knocked the paper from the table sending the separate pages in several different directions. 

She didn't notice. She had an idea; an idea that would change everything. 

Chloe twisted the top off of her ink bottle and moistened the tip of her quill before requesting an audience with the Headmaster of Hogwarts to discuss her future with the school. In short, she made Dumbledore an offer he really couldn't refuse, oh he'd _want _to refuse it, but it was just too good to pass up. 

She sent her owl away with the note and finally noticed the mess of papers. Cursing softly, Chloe bent down and grabbed the closest sheet, and knew what it said without reading.

Events were moving along as scheduled. People were in place, and now… now, with her idea, the plan was really set in motion. 

The minister was missing, Lucius was out of the way, and the family was about to be split apart. Her people were done fighting for the big picture, the good versus evil; they were about to tackle the moments. They were done with peaceful negotiations and heartfelt apologies. The time for that was over, and they were living in a brand new world, or they were about to be. It wasn't going to be like the last time around…no.  That first sip of drink, that chance meeting – those were the things that mattered. 

The rest is history.

***

It was a particularly cool June afternoon that Tom Riddle found himself walking the perimeter of the Forbidden Forest at Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Though this was a normal activity for the first year, today's walk was spent on a special reflection. Tom was thinking about his latest Charms class, and what had come out of their latest lesson. 

Tom hadn't spent a lot of time with the new teacher, Flitwick, but he seemed like an emotional type…. Maybe it wasn't so horrible – being the heir to Slytherin.

Maybe Flitwick had called him back after class to tell him the results of his heritage charm because he was respecting his privacy. 

Maybe… maybe, it _was_ a horrible thing. It wasn't as though he knew much about Salazar Slytherin – even though he was sorted into the man's house. They hadn't covered the founders yet in History of Magic, so besides the usual rumors that the older years passed around to the younger years to scare them, he didn't really know much about the guy. 

He tripped over a root that was sticking out of the ground as another though entered his mind. 

What if being the heir to Slytherin meant he was going to turn into some horrible monster? 

He didn't _want_ to be a monster! At least he didn't think he wanted to be…. He wanted fame, recognition, and a long and privileged life. Considering what he had been through so far, he didn't feel that he was asking for much. 

Tom's mind drifted back to his childhood. As he began to search through his memories – trying to pinpoint one that might show signs of evilness (he couldn't find any) – he stopped paying attention to his surroundings. 

So it came as a big surprise when he slammed into the back of someone. He lost his footing, and was surprised when he felt arms go around him in an attempt to find his place. He looked up and opened his mouth to apologize when he saw exactly who it was that he bumped into.

Jennifer Grindelwald. The daughter of the Dark wizard Grindelwald. 

Grindelwald – who had teamed up with that Muggle, Hitler, so that he could kill all the Muggles (or some such nonsense). 

"Are you all right?" Tom squeaked. "I didn't see you – I –."

Jennifer ran a hand through Tom's hair, soothingly. "I'm fine Tom… I'm actually glad you ran into me, you're a hard boy to find." 

"You were looking for me?" He asked, amazed. Jennifer, a seventh year, was looking for him. Jennifer, who was worldly and smart and cunning and… well, some people said she was evil, but obviously none of those people had heard her say his name. …Jennifer with her long red hair and sparkling green eyes. It rolled off of her tongue like she had said it a million times before… and no one that evil could possibly be so pretty. 

"I heard about your Charms class." 

Tom's face fell into an automatic sneer. "Oh, is that what you're here about? To find out why I'm the only one who doesn't have a heritage." She couldn't possibly know the real reason why he had to stay after class so that Flitwick, himself, could perform the spell for him, just in case he had done it wrong – as though he were some sort of invalid. She couldn't possibly know the results – Flitwick told him that he would keep it between them.

"Of course you have a heritage, Tom. In fact, I might say that you have the best one." 

Tom shot her a sharp look. She knew!

"No one told me, or anything, so don't worry about your secret – it's safe." She smiled and in an instant, Tom believed her.

"Then how…?"

She leaned down so that she was more on his level. "I have a few secrets of my own, Tom. You'll come to find that everyone does." She reached into her robes and pulled out a small leather bound book, and handed it to him.

"What's this for?" 

"It's the answer, Tom." She turned to walk away and Tom opened the book – only to find it blank.

"There isn't anything here!" Tom called after her.

"You just have to ask the right question, Tom. I believe we'll see each other again." Her voice, though she was a good distance away, surrounded him. 

When he looked up from the book seconds later, she was gone.

***

It wasn't until the summer was almost over that he finally was able to crack the puzzle of what Tom had begun to call 'the journal'. 

He had tried everything. Tom had even snuck his wand out, while the other children in the orphanage were sleeping. Not that he could have used magic – it was against Ministry rules, but he had to try something. The journal was really getting to him… it was always there in the back of his mind, urging him to figure out its secret. Tom tried speaking aloud, asking it a question, with and without his wand. He tried writing inside of it, but nothing happened. The first page still read, every time he opened it – This Diary Belongs To: Thomas Marvolo Riddle Jr. 

It wasn't until he handed it to his roommate, John, that he realized what he had done wrong.

John had sat there for a few minutes, with a number two pencil, writing before he jumped away from the book, wide-eyed, and shaking. When Tom moved over to collect the book, he too dropped it in surprise. 

The pages were covered in what looked to be English, lines that looked like the ones a heart monitor might make, and what appeared to be some sort of Hieroglyphics. 

He ran over to John, who was cowering in a corner – and started to shake his shoulders.

"What did you write in it? What did you write?" 

"I – I wrote about S-sally." John said, looking like he might vomit any second. 

"What about her?" Tom demanded, caring more about his newfound discovery than John's scare at the moment.

"I wrote that I like her." John mumbled. "I told her two months ago and she won't talk to me anymore."

Tom released his grip on the boy's shoulders and looked down at him. "That's it – that's all you wrote."

"I asked, well, this is g-going to sound stupid, but I asked it if it could help me. But then all that writing just appeared, and everything that I wrote inside of it had disappeared. What is it, Tom? Do you think that it's demonic?"

But Tom had stopped listening after John had told him about the question.

_"You just have to ask the right question, Tom."_

Tom ran to pick up the diary and then up to his room, where he drew the curtains around his bed, and took out a quill and a bottle of ink. When he opened the book again it was blank, and he worried for a minute that all of the writing would disappear every time he closed it, but that would be useless, and he didn't think that Jennifer would give him something useless. 

He spent the next hour writing about his life and the Charms class, and Jennifer. Finally ending with:

"I need to know what it means to be the heir of Slytherin. Can you help me?" 

And just as John claimed, all of the words that Tom had written were gone, and in its place was a book filled with not only English, but what appeared to be Egyptian, and a language that looked like nothing he had ever seen before. He closed the book and opened it again. He was filled with relief and excitement as the writing was still there.

He didn't know then, but Tom would spend a good part of the next four years deciphering what was in that book.

***

He was _very_ surprised to see Jennifer during the first Hogsmeade weekend of his third year. It had been a little under two and a half years since he had last seen her, and if it was possible she had grown even more beautiful. 

She was sitting there at the counter, her long red hair was pulled back into a braid – she was the most exquisite thing he had ever seen. He raised his head a few inches, put a confidant expression on his face, and swerved away from his friends and walked over to the bar. 

Jennifer turned to him, as he sat beside her, completely shocking all of his friends – who eventually just shook their heads, and went to find their own table. 

The bartender turned his attention on Tom, who ordered a butter beer, and snuck a quick glance at Jennifer. 

She waited until the gray-haired man turned his attention to someone else looking for a drink.

"I am very impressed." She said quietly.

Ah, so she knew that he'd cracked the puzzle, then.

"It wasn't quite so difficult. I imagine that translating it will be much harder – I've already done all of the Hieroglyphics, and the English didn't need to be translated…"

"And you haven't even figured out what the third is yet." Jennifer mused aloud, and then smiled at Tom's shocked look. 

"Let me guess…it's another one of your secrets?" He asked.

"One of my many. However – it isn't the reason I'm here." 

"Well, why are you here?" 

She set her drink down on the counter and whipped the sides of her mouth with a napkin before turning on her seat to face him directly. "I have a proposition. I have told my father much about you. When you come of age he wishes for you to become a part of the family business."

Tom perked up instantly. One of the greatest wizards in the world wanted him to work for them? Not one of his old reservations about how wrong Grindelwald was about Muggles ever entered his mind; it almost felt like they had never been there to begin with. 

She laughed at him. "Don't get too excited. There is so much more that you need to learn, and that is why I'm here. To teach you."

"How? During the year I'm busy with classes and during the summer I – well, I can't." 

"There used to be an inn, above here… but the thing is – they never knocked it down, they couldn't. All they could do was to have the Ministry cloak it, which they had a friend of my father's do. So he knows the exact location, which means that," She reached inside of her pocket and pulled out an ordinary looking silver chain and handed it to Tom, "He could make this."

Tom took it and fastened it around his neck after checking with Jennifer to make sure that he could. It didn't feel special. "What is it?"

He could have sworn that her eyes twinkled at that. "You're to meet me every Saturday at midnight." She turned back to her drink. 

"How do I use it?" Tom asked, feeling ignorant and hating himself for it. 

She studied him seriously for a moment. "All you have to do is wear it, and think of me, and, of course, you'd have to want to be there." Then she threw a few Sickles on the counter, and hopped off the barstool. But before she left, she spoke to him again.

"That last language is Mermish."

He could have sworn he heard the laughter in those words – Mermish, indeed. He hadn't even known that a person could write that down – but apparently old Salazar had managed it. 

He finished the rest of his drink before reaching over to pay the barman. 

"The young lady covered it." He said gruffly. 

Tom's eyes widened and he walked to the table his friends had grabbed in a daze.

"Wasn't that Grindelwald's daughter?" Tar asked, almost before Tom had even sat down.

Joseph let out a low whistle. "What are you getting into, eh, Tom?"

Tom shot a glare at Joe. "…Whatever I want to get into. Isn't that right?"

The two boys looked at him curiously before shifting their eyes to the surface of the table. 

***

"When did you take up drawing?" John asked quietly.

Tom jumped off of his bed, where he was reading one of his homework assignments, cleverly concealed to show an unremarkable leaf of paper to anyone who was without magic. "What do you mean?"

John was holding one of his books up and Tom looked at him in confusion, before he realized that it was _that_ book. He rushed forward and, knocking over his Charms homework, grabbed the book out of his friend's hand. 

"Alright… do you mind letting me in on what the hell is going on with you lately? First you come back from school in a mood, if I've ever seen one –."

"– I was not in a mood!"

"And then you spend the rest of the summer sulking, or reading… you're always too busy…" John cut himself off. "Now you're suddenly an artist."

"I really don't know what you're talking about." Tom snapped. "I told you at the beginning of the summer that I had a lot of work to do. As for the drawings, I can honestly say that you are seeing things. The only 'pictures' in that book are the hieroglyphics that I only finished translating this past year."

John raised an eyebrow in disbelief. "I'm seeing things, am I?" He reached forward and took the book back from Tom. He turned to the first page and shoved it under Tom's nose. "This page is covered in snake drawings."

Tom adjusted the book so that it was quite so close to his eyes and looked the page over carefully. After his third look over, he dropped it in astonishment when the English letters that he'd been reading all this time slowly morphed into tiny intricately drawn snakes. It happened so quickly that it was almost too much for his mind to process. Tom bent over and picked up the book, and feeling very foolish, he studied the drawings carefully, rotating the book ever so often. 

"You really didn't see the drawings." John said slowly, as though testing the words. "I don't understand."

"Yes, well, there are rather a lot of things that you wouldn't understand." Tom snapped. 

"I've put up with a lot this summer, but I refuse to stand here and allow you to insult me. You don't want to tell me what's going on with you, that is fine, but do not take it out on me."

"You wouldn't understand…" Tom pushed past John with the book clutched in his hand. He would have slammed the door but he wasn't in the mood to clean the dishes for the rest of the week. 

***

It wasn't until he was fourteen years old that she taught him, what the Ministry had recently named, the Unforgivables. It seemed like his whole education was leading up to this point. 

One year of terrible nightmares, about destruction and death. He felt what these people (he assumed they were the ones that Grindelwald was off killing) had felt. He had died with them – but Jennifer told him that it was part of his training. She said that in order to be strong he had to know what it was like to feel weak. 

There were nights that he seriously considered giving up. He was sure that if he went to Headmaster Dippet that he could stop the dreams. That he could close his eyes without seeing their faces. 

It was usually only a passing thought – the hopelessness passed after he held onto the chain that she had given him.

He didn't want to disappoint her, did he?

All that hard work, all that time she had spent training him, it shouldn't be for nothing, now, should it?

The orphanage – his horrible childhood – it all just seemed so far away, and pointless when he was with her, but sometimes he remembered what it was like before he had found out about himself. 

Sometimes he worried that he was turning into that horrible monster, that he never wanted to be. 

Except that most of the time, he couldn't bother himself to care. And, sometimes....

Sometimes when he got a glimpse at the power that was dormant inside of him…he wanted it more than he wanted to take his next breath of air. Jennifer showed him that part of himself, the power that could, and _would, give him that recognition that he longed for. He was going to escape his childhood one way or another; Hogwarts wasn't going to cast him aside. They were going to remember him._

Children everywhere would fear his name.  

***

Tom was walking down the path that led to John and his secret alcove in the woods, when he heard a soft crunching noise generate from behind one of the trees. He grabbed John and pulled the both of them into one of the ditches that the younger children had dug out to hide in, when Mrs. Brinkler (one of their house moms) was in one of her moods. He put in single, long finger up to his lips to signal that John should keep it quiet.

John rolled his eyes. "You've been really jumpy lately. Look, it's probably just one of the Reinhardt's cats, or it could have been a squirrel." He jumped up and began patting dirt off of his slacks. "You're just being paranoid." 

Tom got up slowly and looked back at the schoolyard where John and he were supposed to be in. Even though it wasn't during the school year, someone from the orphanage would volunteer to take all of the children to the playground once a week. Usually Tom and John declined the offer, but this time they had decided to sneak off and go visit their old hangout. Tom didn't know why, but for the last couple of days he had the strangest feeling that someone was following him. The last thing he needed was for that person, or thing, to find him wandering away from Brinkler. 

They continued the walk without any more interruption and found their tree house. Well, Tom thought, it wasn't exactly _theirs_. John and he had found it the first time they snuck away from the school, almost seven years ago. He reached forward and grabbed hold of the slanted boards that had been nailed into the tree bark many years ago. The climb was over too soon, Tom realized, and he felt for the first time that he had grown up. He leaned against one of the more stable walls and waited for John to follow him. He could hear the scraping of the younger boy's feet (John never really was a very good climber – Tom supposed it had something to do with the way his parents had died, thrown from a three story roof top). Just he was about to reach the top, in Tom's mind he was transported back to a time when he was a boy, and John knew everything there was to know about him… there weren't any secrets kept, no matter how big. And when John's older and hardened eyes swam into view, Tom nearly opened his mouth and confessed it all: the magic, Jennifer, Hogwarts, his other friends. In that same second when his mouth had opened just enough to explain why he was moody all the time, tell him that he had killed a woman – he came to his senses and his lips were pressed together in a thin line. 

John sat down next to him and kicked off his shoes. They sat for a few minutes in silence before John leaned back against the wall and shifted his eyes in Tom's direction. A few minutes passed and he repeated the action.

"What is it?" Tom asked. 

"What… what are you going to do when you finish school?" John said in a tumble of words.

Tom froze. What was he going to do? Become a dark Wizard? He hadn't really thought about his future beyond Jennifer. "I don't know." He risked a glance at his friend. "Why?"

"Oh." John started. "It's just that you're going to that school and, well, you never really tell me what it is you study there. I suppose I was curious."

"A friend of mine, from school, says that she can arrange for me to work for her father; I'm not sure what he does." Tom ventured.

A smile crept onto John's face. "You haven't mentioned _her_ before." He nudged Tom playfully.

Tom glared. "There wasn't anything to mention." In a desperate move to turn the conversation away from Jennifer he asked, "What is it that you want to do?"

"I'd like to be a writer." John said proudly.

"What would you write about?" John had never mentioned an interest in writing before, though Tom supposed it shouldn't surprise him. John was very intelligent for his age.

He turned very serious. "You can't laugh." 

Tom shrugged.

"I'd like to write about History." John said quietly.

"…Really?" Tom's eyebrows shot into his hairline. 

"I think that it's important for people to learn about the past." John rushed on, defending himself. "We are what we have been, right? Sure sometimes we change, but for the most part, I think that the past will always be a part of who we are." He risked a glance at Tom, who was thinking about what John was saying very carefully. "I sound like a mad man, don't I?"

Tom relaxed his expression. "Of course not… some might even agree that you have a point." He gave John a half smile. 

John's eyes lit up with excitement. "Would you go over my ideas with me?"

Tom considered. "What's in it for me?"

"I don't have any money… I could dedicate the book to you."

"I do believe that you have yourself a deal, Mr. Fleet." 

John laughed, "Now if we can only make it to our 16th Birthdays!"

*** 

Tom yawned and covered his mouth, after catching a disapproving glare from the librarian. He turned over another book and read the title silently.

_Mermagic,__ and all of its contents._

He doubted that book would hold the key for translating Slytherin's Journal so he set it aside with the rest of the books that he had already gone through. He glanced at the pile that was becoming dangerously high, and increasingly unsteady. There were only three more books left out of the entire library's stock of Merpeople books; he had been combing through the rest of them since dinner, which was ages ago. 

What Tom really wanted to do was to ask for Dumbledore's help. Rumor had it that the man could speak several different languages including Mermish. He suspected that Jennifer wouldn't like that very much. She had mentioned once that she had an intense dislike for his new Transfiguration teacher. He had a great deal of respect for Jennifer. She was intelligent, cunning, and almost always right. She was the perfect Slytherin, so it was only natural that he would start to have feelings for her, right? Well maybe not… there were times (mostly when he was caught between sleep and waking) that he would feel like he was being released from a spell, and that _everything_ was suddenly so clear. All he had were those few minutes every day where he was lucid enough to recognize that he was changing slowly, yes, but changing…. 

And like all of his moments of clarity, this one passed as well. Tom remembered nothing of it, and continued his work on the translation. He could hear a voice in the back of his head, urging him, _finish it._ He had to finish it by the end of this year or none of it was worth anything, and besides… _he didn't want to disappoint her, did he?_

***

"Professor Dippet, I really must ask you to reconsider." Tom plastered a fake smile onto his face. He needed this, they needed this.

"I've already told you twice, Mr. Riddle. Even if the school wasn't in danger of being closed down – Hogwarts does not permit students to stay in their dorms during the summer. I realize that your situation – well, I realize it is rather… unfortunate." The Headmaster diverted his eyes to a pile of papers that was threatening to take over his desk. 

Tom supposed that it was easier for him to let students down without looking at them. "Keep your chin up, lad. It is only for another year. If you'll excuse me I do have a lot of work to catch up on."

"I understand, sir. I'll just leave you to it." He rose from his chair, and slipped his wand out of his sleeve. Right before he turned to leave he pointed it at Dippet, and then changed his mind. It wasn't time for that yet. 

That Saturday he went to her, just as he had for the last three and a half years. She didn't look up from the book she was reading.

"You didn't get his permission." Her voice was filled with disappointment. Disappointment in him. She expected him to lay the world at her feet and yet she never bothered to tell him why or how, only when and _now. _

"He's afraid – all of the teachers are. A girl was killed." A girl, a crying, annoying, worthless witch. She would never have amounted to anything. She was an accident, one he had paid dearly for with Jennifer. _The snake was only meant to instill fear in the heart of Hogwarts for now, Tom. Did I tell you to kill anyone, Tom? Did my father tell you to?  _

"You're a prefect, maybe it's time you exercised your authority. I'm sure it won't be too hard for you to capture the heir of Slytherin."

"That would be a wonderful plan, Jenny. Only _I am the heir of Slytherin._" 

"Do I have to think of everything?" She snapped. "No one knows who the heir is, frame someone."

No one knows, _anymore_, you mean. Not since I wiped Professor Flitwick's mind clear of the event. "Who…?"

"Pick someone, anyone. So long as the person isn't on our side, than it doesn't really matter to me." So many lives mean nothing to you. Not the woman you allowed me to test Avada Kedavra on, not crying, whining, Myrtle who was in the wrong place at the wrong time, not Tom's. Maybe Tom's. He wouldn't know; she never told him anything anymore.   

"If I frame someone, and they're caught – it'll have to stop. I can't get away with it anymore." So many years of hard work. For what? For some grandiose plan that she hadn't bothered to clue him in on.  

"That's fine. I'd say you taught old Hogwarts a lesson. Dumbledore must be upset… he couldn't save that girl. I don't think he'll be in any shape to oppose my father anytime soon. The traitor."

And it all came down to daddy. He was really the only one she cared about. 

"I don't understand why I have to stay over Hogwarts during the summer. I can always use the necklace at the orphanage." Tom said, irritated. It had been a lot of work – translating the diary, opening the chamber, and now it was all for nothing.

"Not everything is about you. When you find out why I needed you at Hogwarts, then I guarantee that you'll be down on your knees thanking me – but until then…." 

"Don't you trust me?" Tom snapped, annoyed. 

Jennifer sighed and pulled herself out of the armchair. She walked over to Tom and grabbed his chin, forcing him to look into her eyes. "I trust you. But there are things that you can't know. Tom, believe me when I say this, I'm doing this for you. Do you have faith in me?"

"Yes." No. Maybe. 

Jennifer let go of the boy's chin and took a step back. "Good. I think that'll be all for tonight." She went back to her chair, but instead of taking her seat she picked up the book she had been reading and handed it to a confused Tom.

"It's never for nothing." She said quietly, before turning away.

Just as he grabbed hold of his chain he glanced at the title. 

_How to live on, when you're gone_

***

Tom looked up from his summer reading when the wall to the Slytherin common room slid apart.

Headmaster Dippet was standing in the opening with his head hung down, and he was looking at the floor. When Tom shifted in his chair to look behind the Professor, he found Dumbledore. 

Calmly, he laid his books down on the table and rose to meet his teachers. Dippet was looking at him with something akin to pity – and he couldn't read Dumbledore's expression.

"We need you to accompany us, Mr. Riddle." Dippet said softly.

"Where?"

When they arrived at the orphanage, it appeared to be fine from the outside. Except for the front door that had been knocked right off its hinges, everything was as he had seen it last.

He immediately broke away from his Professors and ran past the officers who were calling after him, waving badges in his face. He didn't see any of it. Only one thought entered his mind.

I have to see if he's alive.

He'd hated that entire place. It was the only home he'd ever known, probably the only one he ever would know, and he'd hated it. He had hated the school that he'd been forced to go to, the company he had to keep, the children who thought they were like him because they didn't have a family either. He'd hated the way the adults who ran the place looked down on him, how they treated him.

But there was always one person. And it didn't even matter that John had thought that his rich uncle had died and left him enough money to go to a boarding school during the year. It didn't matter that he didn't know Tom had magic in him, John had always been there. John had always made excuses for Tom when they were children and Tom didn't want to go to class. John had even snuck out with him in January, on Tom's 9th birthday, to spend all of their money on a movie. He was Tom's partner in crime. 

Tom felt like he was moving in slow motion, pushing past more officers, turning a corner, up the stairs, down a hallway. Oh, and there were so many bodies – he'd never seen that many in one place. He could smell the fresh blood and it made him sick. But it didn't matter. One more door on the right….

He pushed the door open and looked at the room in horror. His room for the last 16 years, _they_ did _this_ to his room. 

John was propped up against his bed, a book was open in his lap, but it wasn't right, because his head just hung there. And something was dripping onto the cover of the book – but he didn't want to believe that it was what he thought it was. 

And there was a blonde girl lying down on his bed and the sheets were a mess and he _knew_ what they'd done to her. 

Muggles had done this. If a wizard had done this there wouldn't be so much blood… which meant that it was one of Grindelwald's Muggle criminals that had done the job.

He dropped to his knees, and he dimly heard two people enter the room while he was gasping for breath.

When Tom finished he picked himself up long enough to see that Dumbledore and some Police man were looking at him with a mixture of expectance and compassion. 

"I know it's hard, son, but we really need to know if you can identify any –." 

He cut the man off. "John Fleet and Sally Bayliss."

Tom didn't know how he'd gotten outside, or why they were still there, or even where Dippet was. He was too rattled to brush off the hand that Dumbledore put on his shoulder.

"She'll take more away from you if you stay with her." Dumbledore said softly.

The words registered in Tom's mind and he was… relieved. It was finally over – Dumbledore knew. He would be handed over to the Ministry, and sent to Azkaban.

No more lying, no more running. 

"You have a choice, Tom. You're the only one who can choose your path. When you are ready, come to my office and we'll have words."

He had a _choice_? In one moment Tom realized what a fool Albus Dumbledore was. He was _past_ redemption, years past. There was only one direction for him to move in.

And that was forward.

***

He arrived at their house soaked to the bone with the rain that was coming down in buckets outside. He could hear the thunder rumbling in the distance. He could hear it moving closer and closer. Then a flash of lightning lit the sky, and he could see her pacing in their study.

He didn't want to have to be the one to tell her. 

In fact, he still wasn't quite sure why the responsibility had fallen to him – except, of course, that she was his fiancй ….

Tom thought back to earlier that day. The battle, the one that everyone would be talking about – the one he wished never happened.

He'd already lost his own family (true, he'd killed every last one of them) so he didn't really understand why he was meant to lose the man who he'd come to think of as his own father. The man who had taken Tom under his arm and taught him everything there was to know about life and magic.

No matter how many people he lost, no matter how many he killed, Tom Riddle would never understand death.

Would she lash out at him, Tom wondered as he got closer to the house, the person who brought the news, or would she run off and seek vengeance on Dumbledore? There really was only one way to find out.

He walked the final steps up to the front door and dispelled the wards with a wave of his hand.

She was still waiting for him in the study. When she looked at him her face fell for a second, before falling back into a blank slate. 

For the first time in his life, Tom appreciated her gift, her secret.

"I'm so sorry, Jennifer." And he was sorry. Their marriage might have been arranged by her father but he still loved her. 

She reached over to pick up a piece of paper off her desk, seemingly ignoring him.

"My father is dead. It's your turn now, but surely you knew that."

Tom started. "What?"

"My father left everything to you." Jennifer said calmly, her face betraying nothing of the anger and hurt he knew she must have been feeling inside. "That must be why you didn't save him."

Tom shook his head wildly. "No! I couldn't – it all happened too fast…."

Jennifer advanced on him, her green eyes shinning strangely in the glow of the table lamp. "You're forgetting that I saw it, Tom. I saw it, and I felt what he felt, what you felt. You saw a window of opportunity, you saw a way to save him and you didn't take it. Was it because you wanted power, Tom? That must have been it. Why else would you let my father die?"

Tom was backed into a corner now. "I didn't know anything about this. You know that we both thought that he was handing everything over to you. If I had known…."

"You wouldn't have saved him." Jennifer finished quietly, her wand out and digging into his neck. She gave it a sharp stab and he winced. "That's why he chose you."

"I don't know if I can lead." He said desperately.

Jennifer pulled her wand away from his neck and turned away so that her back was facing him. "It doesn't matter if you can. You must, Voldemort."

***

Tom lay on his back on his – their – bed next to his _wife_. He turned his head slightly to look at her, and she was a vision, always had been. When he watched her sleep it was like he was waking up. All day long he worshiped her but at night…

…Oh how he hated her.

She didn't think he remembered. She thought that he'd forgotten about everything, she thought he was _happy._

The things that woman had done to her… he still remembered the woman she had forced him to kill when he first learned Avada Kedavra, a Witch, not that it made any difference. Jenny said that a wizard was harder to kill with the Killing Curse – because their magic fought back to an extent.

He saw John's lifeless head every time he closed his eyes. He saw Sally's bloodied body on his bed. He felt himself take control of the monster of Slytherin, he saw himself wipe Professor Flitwick's mind. He remembered every Witch, Wizard, and Muggle he'd ever killed in the name of Grindelwald, and then later in the name of Voldemort.

He only took comfort in the fact that he could see it in her eyes too. That when they were together, he could tell that she just wanted to reach over and strangle him. She seemed to be waiting for something to happen – he had no idea what, but she was waiting all right.

He was only twenty eight years old, and he was more powerful than Grindelwald had ever hoped to be. She was jealous of that, because even though Jenny had a few well-kept secrets, she was only a tad more powerful than he was now. And it killed her that he got greater by the day.

Tom pulled the quilt off of him slowly, so as to not attract her attention, and slipped out of bed quietly. He pulled his wedding ring off harshly, and shoved it in his pocket, where his necklace already laid. 

In minutes he was past the wards and Apparating to the Leaky Cauldron, with Jenny none the wiser.

If he was to be the most powerful wizard that walked the earth, then he should be able to do as he pleased, and right now, he wanted someone to help him forget. 

***

That was the night that he met _her_. She was a bar matron at the Leaky Cauldron with long black hair and had small open eyes that were hidden behind square glasses. She introduced herself as Minerva McGonagall.

He wouldn't say that it was love at first sight but it was… something. She agreed to sit with him after the other customers had either left or retired to their rooms, but she wouldn't let him buy her a drink. She asked what he did for a living, and kept on with the questions, but refused to offer any information about herself.

Minerva was quite a puzzle to Tom, who was used to people fearing him, and obeying his every whim. Ever since Jennifer's father had given his 'business' to him Tom had felt horrible about every decision he made, because ultimately every time he made one someone would die. Jennifer and he had daily quarrels about what to do about the giants and whether or not they should send Wizards into Gringotts to attempt a siege. 

Minerva asking him what band he liked, or what Quidditch team he followed was a breath of fresh air.

"The Cannons are horrible." Tom said, lifting his glass and taking a sip of the bitter liquid to hide his smile.

"Are you mad?!" Minerva exclaimed. Her elbows were propped up on the small table and she was leaning forward, talking in an animated whisper – so as to not wake anyone. "The Cannons are a brilliant team. Yes, they've had a few off games, and made a few bad judgment calls – but they have the best set of Beaters, and their Keeper has never let a ball get passed him." She leaned back on her chair and frowned thoughtfully. "Well, perhaps he's let a few in…."

Tom smiled. "What's your opinion on Bulgaria chances?"

"They just trained a new Seeker, right? I would have to see him play, but unless he's terribly dreadful… I suppose the team is alright."

"…But not as good as the Cannons?" 

She adjusted her glasses and smiled. Just as she was about to take a sip of her water, she yawned loudly. "Oh! I'm sorry… I don't know what has gotten into me."

Tom glanced at his watch before exhaling loudly. He was going to have to think of a hell of an excuse to explain to Jennifer why he was out so late, or up so early. 

Tom blinked in surprise. He hadn't thought of his wife all night. He turned his attention back to Minerva and grabbed her hand before she could clean the glasses that cluttered their table. "When can I see you again?"

She appeared flustered. "I'm not sure if that is such a good idea, Mr. Riddle." 

Tom released her arm. "And why wouldn't it be a good idea?"

She averted her eyes to the task set before her. "I'm not in the habit of talking up young men, in a bar of all places. Really, I don't know what has gotten into me tonight!" 

"It's obvious that you couldn't resist my charms, I promise not to hold it against you." Tom offered a sincere smile.

Minerva's arms were full of empty bottles, and she nearly dropped them twice before setting them back on the table. He watched as she pulled out her wand and transfigured one of the glasses into a wash bin, before sending the glasses into the bin. She waved her wand once more, sending the bin behind the bar. "If you promise…." She said, dragging Tom back into their previous conversation. 

"Wizard's honor."

"I'll owl you sometime tomorrow and we'll set an official date."

"Tomorrow isn't good for me." Tom said hurriedly. "What I mean to say, is that it would be much more convenient if I were to get in touch with you." Her eyes narrowed in suspicion and he added, "I know this wonderful restaurant in Paris…."

*** 

Tom rubbed his eyes, moving to sit up against the headboard. He knew there was something wrong with this picture, there was some reason that Jennifer shouldn't be sitting on the bed, but he couldn't remember…

Oh shit.

He turned his head slowly to the left, and was met with the open and terrified eyes of Minerva. Two years of being with her behind Jenny's back, and now the one person that he'd ever felt anything real for was probably going to be murdered by his wife. 

Tom watched as Jennifer took a long look at Minerva, and he smiled smugly, putting his hands behind his head resting them between the headboard and his neck.

"Did you want something, Jenny?" He asked in a husky voice. The distraction worked – as Jennifer turned around he began to play with the clasp of his necklace.

Minerva pulled the sheet tightly around her and tried her hardest to look dignified, despite the fact that her face was turning a deep red. "Who – who is this? Tom?"

Jennifer threw her head back and laughed.

Quickly, so that Jennifer wouldn't notice, he handed his girlfriend the necklace and mouthed the words, 'Think of Hogwarts.'

"I'm his wife." Jennifer said menacingly. "I'm also his evil consort – did he forget to tell you that he was a Dark Lord, as well? Must have slipped his mind."

A single tear escaped Minerva's eye, and she closed them tightly. Jennifer noticed the necklace clutched in her hand one second too late.

Jennifer stared at the spot that she had been in and then directed her attention to Tom. "That was very stupid."

He resumed his venerable position. His hands were tucked behind his head and he was looking at Jennifer indifferently. As though his wife hadn't just caught him in bed with another woman.

"In fact, this whole thing was very stupid. Choosing our room in Hog's Head, giving _her_ the necklace, oh, yes, and sleeping with the enemy. That was also very stupid."

Tom arched an eyebrow. "It took you long enough to notice. I'm surprised one of your _gifts_ didn't alert you to it sooner."

Jenny stared at him incredulously. "_It took me long enough to notice_? Far be it from me to believe that you would be faithful to the cause, to me."

Tom shrugged.

"Are you some sort of idiot, Tom? Well, are you?" She demanded hotly.

Something flashed in Jennifer's eyes and she moved closer to Tom, until she was on the bed straddling his hips. "Or is it that you loved her?"

Tom kept very still, but even he couldn't hide the truth of it in his eyes.

"That's it then. You loved her. How… pathetic." She hopped off of him and rolled onto her back. "And here when I saw the two of you together I thought it was about lust." An insane smile swept across her face and Tom felt the fear inside of him swell.

"Not everything comes down to lust, love, and hate, Jennifer." He said quietly.

"No." Jennifer was playing with her wedding ring, and if it had been anyone else, Tom would have thought it was unconsciously. "Sometimes it's about greed." She shook her head as if to dispel some memory. "I'm not a fool, Tom.

"You loved each other." Jennifer spoke as though he wasn't in the room. "I saw it, all of it. You didn't just sleep together… sometimes all you did was _talk_." She closed her eyes for a minute and took a deep breath. "You told her things." She paused and raised her eyebrows. "Okay you left out some pretty big details… being evil and married among them, but you told her things, things that you didn't even tell me. And that's just wrong."

Tom didn't know what to think about everything she'd just said. "We have a very different understanding of what is wrong, Jenny."

"I suppose we do." Jennifer conceded. Then she turned serious. "I won't pretend to understand what you thought you were going to accomplish by doing this. You do realize that you told that woman enough about yourself so that, if she's smart, she can kill you?"

Tom started. "Minerva would never do that."

Jenny went on as though he hadn't spoken. "And then you just sent her to the one person who hates us the most. You sent her to the one person that can extract information from the smartest of men, how much of a chance do you think your dear _Minnie_ will have?"

"She wouldn't –."

"Confess everything to Dumbledore. No, of course not." Jenny chuckled and moved back onto Tom placing a mockery of a warm kiss on his mouth. Then she pulled back just far enough so that she could look into his eyes. "If I ever _hear_ that you were in contact with her, or anyone else, I will kill her myself."

"You wouldn't kill her." Tom said confidently, though he felt anything but. 

"Maybe not. However, I'm sure that it would do little 'Ms. Gryffindor's reputation no good if it got out that she was sleeping with the enemy. Plus, she is really venerable… she probably thinks that you didn't love her enough to tell her that you were evil and married – Gryffindors are pretty pathetic that way – she might do herself in."

Tom looked into her eyes desperately, trying to make her understand. "You have a problem with me. There isn't any reason for you to do anything to her."

Jennifer leaned back so that she was sitting on his legs. Anger flashed in her eyes. "Haven't you learned anything, Tom? Never go for the kill, when you can go for the pain. And it hurts you to hear me talk about her, doesn't it?"

Tom moved to upturn her, but no matter what his effort she remained on top of him, her face set in a firm smirk. Then she leaned forward seductively and put a single long finger on his lips. "Hush. Soon none of that will matter."

During her display, Jennifer had shifted her weight just _so_, so that he could slip under her. He backed way from her and reached for his wand on the dresser.

"Are you looking for this?" Jennifer said, twirling his wand between her fingers. 

Tom growled. 

"I'll give it back, no worries, but first you have to do something."

"No." Tom said coldly.

Jennifer chuckled. "I'm sorry, did I say have to? I meant going to."

"Whatever it is you have planned, I refuse to be a part of it anymore. I'm done with it Jennifer, I'm through." 

Jennifer hopped off the bed in one fluid motion. "Yes, you are."

***

When Tom woke, he was laying down on a table. He groaned and moved his hand up to rub his head (which was pounding) and found that his hands had been magically bound to the table, and on second inspection so had his legs.

"Look who's decided to join us in the not-so-real-world." Jennifer said happily.

"What are you going on about now?" Tom snarled.

"Well, if you were able to lift your head more than a few inches, you'd notice that were not exactly home. That is to say we aren't in our reality anymore." 

"Unbind me, and hand me my wand, Jennifer."

"Sure," she said brightly. "Oh wait, I forgot! No." She stepped into his line of vision. "I brought you here for a reason, Tom. It really would be a shame, and a waste of time at that, if you got away from me before I finished my task."

"And that would be, what exact-." His eyes widened and his jaw dropped at the sight of a dementor gliding to, well he wouldn't call it _standing_, exactly – but to move next to Jennifer. Tom's brain caught up with his body and he stopped trying to break free of his bindings, and smirked in Jennifer's direction. "What do you have me for, an idiot? There isn't any chill, I'm not reliving my worst memory… that isn't a dementor."

Jennifer raised an eyebrow. "This dimension allows the dementor more freedom, it doesn't have to feed off of human emotions and so, therefore, it doesn't project a cold empty feeling – simply because it isn't cold or empty here. This lovely place is the origin of dementors."

Tom felt a cold fear grip him… if that was true…. Surely she wouldn't have it kiss him? He couldn't think of any other reason why she would have him bound to a table. 

She was speaking again. "I made a mistake. I can admit, now, that I should have done this much sooner."

"Done what?"

Jennifer ignored him. "I took an interest in you. I gave you that book, knowing that you would have the power to unravel its mysteries, I gave you lessons. I allowed you to meet my father. You became part of a bigger picture, slowly, yes, but a part nonetheless. It was then that I should have brought you here, the place that my father had come to when he sought power. But I was… afraid."

"What changed your mind?" 

"You did. Everyday I saw you slip away from the path you belong. You hated the kill, and you hated me for bringing you the kill. And you had stopped wearing my necklace. I think a part of you realized the power that was imbedded inside of it. The necklace did more than transport you to our room. It helped give you the strength to be dark, and to not care. It was really for your own good, you know. Tom, I didn't want you to have to know what it was like to do the things you did, and to _care_. Had I allowed things to progress at a normal speed, it would have been years before I could have convinced you to commit your first kill. You felt the necklace's call. It confused you. There was still a part of you that was good, and pure. …A part of you that no human magic, dark or light, could touch. So I brought you here." Tom noticed a shiver creep up on Jennifer, that he was certain had nothing to do with the cold. "It's an awful place. It would be so much easier if the reward was easily gained and painless, but as with most good things in life, there is a price to pay for power such as this."

"And what power is that?"

"It's the best of all, Tom. The powers of indifference… some of us are lucky enough to be born with it." Jennifer shrugged, her eyes filling up with tears. "Some of us have to come here, and some of us have to live with my father. Although my mother quite liked it. She says it's different when the person is your equal. You can ask her what it was like the next time… oh well; you might not be seeing her again."

"You aren't seriously thinking about punishing me for something your father did to you!" Tom asked angrily.

"This isn't about my father." Jennifer snapped. "Like I said before, you hated me, but, it doesn't have to be like that, Tom. I can make it so that none of that matters. I can make it so that we're the happy family we were meant to be."

"No." 

"I see that you're still under the impression that you have a choice."

Tom chuckled darkly. "I meant, no, you can't make us a happy family, Jenny. It doesn't matter what you do to me… I will never love you."

Tom took enjoyment in watching Jennifer's face turn purple with rage. He watched as she motioned for the dementor to move closer to him.

Tom yanked at his bindings, desperately. "I can't _live_ without a soul!"

"You don't _need_ a soul to survive." Jennifer chuckled darkly. "Of course something _can_ fill that void." She croaked her long finger at the dementor in a, 'come here' sort of gesture. "That's where our friend comes in… did you know that dementors can release _their_ demonic soul when they lose a Wizard's duel of sorts?"

Tom stopped struggling against his binding and then looked at his wife for a long moment. "If I fight that thing and win, then it gets to keep my memories, my _life. That sounds like a fair deal. Why don't we pay it a couple hundred Galleons as well? Maybe throw in a free trip to the Bermuda Triangle?"_

"It _is_ a fair deal. The essence of a dementor is a rare and prized gift, Tom. I don't think you realize what I'm talking about – the ability to have the kind of power that you have, to use it, and to not have to care about what kind of effects it might have – it's like being a God."

"If it is so wonderful, why didn't you tell me about it back home and ask me to come here with you?"

"…Because you no longer have the choice. Either I unbind you, give you your wand, and you fight this dementor or I'm erasing your memory and binding your power. I'll unleash you into the Muggle world and you'll never so much as float a feather again."

Tom's confidence faltered. If he didn't have any memory of Hogwarts then he wouldn't have to remember all of things he had done… but he wouldn't be able to remember any of the good things either. He would lose the memories that had kept him through those long summers; the magic, the power that he had. And the prospect of never doing magic ever again made his heart constrict in a manner that only another Wizard would understand. "What if I fight the dementor and lose?"

Jennifer hesitated before telling him. "Then he gets to kiss you, thereby keeping your whole soul. My advice would be to not lose. Also, the Patronus spell won't work in this dimension. And the Wizard's duel isn't a real Wizard's duel – obviously. It's more of a reenactment."

"Reenactment of what? And why won't the Patronus charm work? " Tom asked.

"…Of your worst memory. You just have to relive it and using magic beat it, so to speak. If you survive you win. If you give up in any way during the reliving of the memory then you lose. Pretty basic. The charm won't work because the dementors have learned, with a little help from some wizards, to guard against it. At least these ones have. In fact, after this is all over it might be interesting to let a few of these dementor out into our world. They'd be practically unstoppable." She didn't bother to hide her glee at the thought of setting free a load of monsters on an unsuspecting society.  

Tom looked deep into Jennifer's eyes and saw the truth in them. That was one of _his gifts. It was the ability to tell when someone was lying, to look inside of their mind. Jennifer had told him that there was a spell that could do the same, but Tom didn't even need a wand to do it, and he never had. All he had to do was relive his nastiest memory and use magic to beat away the monsters in his closet._

His worst memory…. He didn't really have a _worst._ Tom had plenty of bad ones, but nothing really stuck out in his mind _except… but that didn't really happen – it was more of a nightmare then anything. It was just a Boggart under the bed. _

…What he heard when the dementors were close? Tom had never told anyone what he had seen during his first and only encounter, with the dementors, because it didn't make sense. You were supposed to hear all of your horrible memories or just the one if it was particularly painful, but Tom…. Tom saw something that had never really happened at all. And he wasn't sure that there was any magic to beat it away, to delay the inevitable. But the alternative was to lead a life without power. The alternative was to lead a simple life, with nothing to keep him apart from the billions of Muggles that walked the earth. The alternative was to lead a life without magic.

"Unbind me, Jennifer, and hand me my wand." 

She leaned across him to tap her wand on the bindings that held his right arm, but hesitated before finishing the task. She turned her head slightly, looked at Tom, and took one really thoughtful pause. "You realize that only I understand how to get back home, and that cursing me will only bring you harm. If you kill me, the dementors _will _kill you. They only listen to me."

He wanted to ask why, he wanted to know what kind of a human could have this kind of control over dementors, of all creatures, but he remained silent. Tom felt that he already knew the answer, if not the story, because with Jennifer, _everything had __something to do with her father. And so instead, he stared back into her eyes and tried to tell her without speaking; he would not take advantage of this. He understood the consequences if he did. _

She tapped her wand at his bindings, one at a time until he was free of them. He stood, his legs shaking. Not, he told himself, because of the thing standing in front of him. Not at all. 

She handed him his wand.

And then she smiled that wonderful, iridescent smile that could still the fears of a man. It did nothing to reassure him as he stood in front of the dementor, only inches away from it, with his wand as his only defense against -  

The inevitable.

Death. His Death.

"So, exactly what kind of magic _will_ work in this dimension?" It was the last thing he remembered saying or doing before his head exploded with pain. 

An image flittered through his mind, but it wasn't the one he had expected. Not at all. 

"I'll be your guide for this journey. I suggest you prepare yourself – well, actually I suggest you run like hell in the other direction." It was a woman; she looked to be no older than twenty-five. She had black, unruly hair and a bright smile lit her face. Tom had only seen her image in an old photograph once. It was his mother.     

***

Chloe finished cleaning up the papers and walked into her living room. She took out her wand and waved it at the large crystal ball that was suspended in mid air above a side table. The fog cleared up and a scene erupted from within the circle. It was a party. Chloe waved her wand again and focused the image on two very drunk teenage boys.

Draco Malfoy and Harry Potter, Chloe mused, couldn't hold their drink at all. As she watched them leave the party and stumble up the stairs, pausing every few seconds to kiss each other sloppily, she decided that this was a very good thing indeed. She watched as they tumbled into bed with each other and tore at their clothing. 

When they had collapsed afterwards, she dispelled the image and put her wand away. She had told her mother once that a moment can change everything about the way we think, feel and live. Chloe wasn't wrong.

_We live for the moments,_ Chloe thought as she grabbed an umbrella on her way out to guard against the heavy rainfall that would come later that night. _And they are going to die for them._

***

Author's note: I'm sorry for the Very Long Wait in-between chapters. I also want to thank everyone who sent me an email checking on the story's stasis. I appreciate your concern, and I hope that I got back to everyone. I've already started on the next chapter and I promise to try and make more time for my writing. (It is one of my New Years resolutions). If you want updates on the story, you can check my (new) Live Journal @ www.livejournal.com/users/angelbuff.    


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